Return to life
by graywords-girl
Summary: DISCONTINUED Takes place right after the series ends. Now that the threat of Zorndyke is gone, how will the people on Blue Six move on with their lives? What will they do now that the war is over? KinoxHayami.
1. Chapter one

**Chapter One**

* * *

It was over. Finally, after so many years, the war had ended.

Kino found it hard to believe that something so terrible, so painful, had ended in the short span of a few hours. It was unbelievable. She had watched the events transpire almost in slow motion, the death of Zorndyke, the grieving of his children, and, finally, the attack and retreat of Verg.

Ah, Verg. He had, in one word, horrified her, for three reasons. The first was the fact that he had been so ruthless. He hadn't stopped to think as he had lashed out. He hadn't paused, or hesitated. He had moved. In a few seconds, he had shattered any sense of peace Kino had even gotten close to acquiring. From the death of Zorndyke, she had found a bit of hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, things would be okay. But then she had seen Verg's pain at loosing his father.

And she had realized, in that moment, that his pain wasn't unlike her own. He had lost someone of great importance to him, and that was why he had attacked. It was almost exactly like Kino's reasoning for her fight against Zorndyke's creatures. She had lost her only family, and in turn wanted revenge. And that was the second reason that he frightened her: he was, in many ways, like her.

The third reason, Kino reflected, was completely absurd in all aspects. Not that the reason itself was absurd, but the reasoning _behind _it was. The third reason was that he had almost taken another life of a person she had come to care for.

How on Earth she had managed to come to care for that cynical, pessimistic, self-centered lunatic was beyond her. But she had. And the funny thing was, now that she thought of it, it didn't seem so absurd.

Which was why she was currently sitting on a sandy beach, with a wet rag in one hand, carefully washing the dried blood off of Hayami's face. The site of him being so… beaten up had devastated her. And so, she had snatched a cloth up from the Granpus, wet it down in salt water, even though it wasn't the cleanest of sources, and begun to clean him up.

He hadn't made any move to stop her. He said much in quite a while. Almost an hour, actually. It would still take Blue Six a while to reach them. They had to stop for a while for things such as repairs. Not that Kino minded.

It gave her a chance to reflect, and to watch Hayami. Despite herself, she had come to find him a very interesting person. While had hadn't voiced his protests, she could see clearly that he didn't like, or enjoy, being taken care of.

_Well, tough cookies for him._ Kino thought to herself, and then realized that she had actually used the words "Tough Cookies", and found herself giggling slightly. Hayami sent her a strange look, but didn't say anything.

Sobering up, she noticed that he was, discreetly, holding a hand to his ribcage. Knowing there was a very good chance he had cracked a few ribs in the fight with Verg, she bit on her lower lip. If they didn't get taken care of, or at least looked at, they would get worse and he might permanently damage himself. And knowing him, he wouldn't speak up about his pain.

Sighing, Kino raised her eyes, which had been downcast even as she worked, to meet his.

"You need to take off your shirt."

She congratulated herself silently on the fact that she wasn't blushing. When he made no move to comply, she licked her lips and reached over to give the sleeve of his jumpsuit a little tug.

He surprised her when he grab her by the wrist, halting her movement, and causing the argument she had prepared in her head, knowing he would argue, to die at her lips.

"You don't have to."

His voice was smooth, though a bit strained, and almost send a shiver up Kino's spine. She looked at him, a bit surprised. He wasn't arguing. Instead, she saw a look of almost… gratefulness on his face. The emotion even reached his eyes. She blinked a bit, and pulled her hand back, sliding it out of his reach. Sitting back on her heels, she cocked her head to the side and gave a tiny smile.

"But I want to,"

This was a weird conversation. Kino was so used to arguing with him… or even just babbling to herself as he listened, or drowned her out. He had never seemed so sentimental before. She guessed that the previous events had shocked him as much as they had her. Although he was good at hiding it…

She sighed, "You really need to get your ribs looked at… they could be…" she trailed off. He was looking at her with an amused expression. What was so funny?

Finally, he decided to fill her in. "You have a medical degree?"

She felt her face flush with frustration. This she could deal with. A sentimental Hayami blew her mind away, but this stubborn, jerk of a man she had no trouble with.

She bit back her curses and insults. Right now she really didn't need to aggravate him. He had gone through so much. But so had she…

She rubbed her neck, and winced as a sudden hot pain raced through her. It burned for a moment, as she carefully began to rub it. It hurt… badly. She might have pulled something when Verg had thrown her…

She could also feel bruises beginning to form on her back. She would be sore for a few days. It would be hell getting up in the morning.

Hayami's voice caused her jump slightly. "You should rest. "

Kino glared. "And what about you?"

He sent her a grin, and then a shrug. She shook her head, and then reached over quickly and tugged on his shirt. "Take this off."

It wasn't a question, and while she knew he didn't like taking orders, he would just have to deal with it. She was actually worried about him… it surprised her to realize it. But she was, and she considered him her friend, at least. And that meant she had to take care of him. Even if he didn't like it.

He was full of surprises today, apparently, because he did as he was told, for once. Kino immediately felt herself wince involuntarily. He was clack and blue all over. She was surprised he wasn't screaming his head off in pain. But then again, a part of her wasn't. She knew him well enough…

Gently, she reached out a hand and laid it against his already swelling stomach. She heard his hiss of pain and pulled back. She sighed and looked away. There was nothing she could do. The most Kino knew how to do was reset bones. Broken and/or cracked ribs she had no idea how to handle. She knew that she needed to brace them with something… but there was nothing around. The most she could do was warn him. But he probably wouldn't listen.

And he hadn't moved much. Which meant he knew of his condition, and was obviously trying to minimize damage. Or else he was just thinking of a new way to torment her… either way, he wasn't moving, and therefore not injuring himself further.

Kino sighed, and collapsed onto her back. She was tired. She had been through a lot emotionally, and physically, and needed to rest, even for a few minutes. And it would take Iga and the rest of Blue Six several hours, or even days, depending on the condition of the submarine, to reach them. She could surely trust Hayami to not kill himself or get into to trouble for at least a few minutes, right?

Kino awoke to the sound of shouting. Peeking her eyes open, she noticed the sun was lower than before. How long had she been asleep? Sitting up, she winced as her back ached. Rubbing it gently, and feeling the bruised surface, she looked around, blinking sleepily. Hayami had dozed off, sitting upright, apparently. So he wasn't the source of the shout. She looked around.

There, surfaced along the waters of the ocean, was the large "fin" of Blue Six, identifiable by the large 6 on it. The shouting was coming from a group of people coming towards shore, albeit slowly. Among the group was Freeda and Iga. And little Howan. How she had managed to con her way onto the small vessel getting closer with every moment Kino couldn't imagine, but she was happy to see the little girl. And Howan was the one causing most of the noise.

"Hey!" The blonde child shouted, waving frantically and jumping up and down a bit, hugging her teddy bear to her chest.

Smiling, Kino turned and gave Hayami a shake. He jolted awake in surprise and murmured a, "wha-?". Kino jerked her head in the direction of the group, before jumping up to meet them.

As the group hit the sand, Howan was the first out, running up to Kino, kicking up sand and tripping over her own feet. Kino smiled and, anticipating the child's move, knelt down. Howan did as expected and leapt at Kino, wrapping her tiny arms around Kino's neck, her teddy bear forgotten on the sand beside her. Kino laughed and stood up, balancing the girl on her hip as she did so.

Howan was light enough that Kino had no trouble keeping her up as the rest of the group came up. Hayami still hadn't moved. Howan peeked over Kino's shoulder and waved at him, and he smiled at her, though ended up looking more like a smirk.

"Kino, Hayami." Iga greeted, coming up in front of them. Kino made an attempted at a salute, but with Howan in her arms, it proved difficult. Iga chuckled and nodded at her. "It's good to see you two are okay."

Turning to Freeda and the others, her nodded at them. "Alright, let's get them aboard."

Within minutes, the group had begun to move about their business. Four of the members that Kino couldn't name headed for the Granpus, checking it and preparing it for re-docking. Freeda moved up to Kino and smiled, as one man went to help Hayami up.

"Glad you're okay." She stated, smiling at Kino. Kino nodded, and shifted Howan. She reached out carefully, "I'll take her." She offered.

Kino shook her head, still smiling. "I've got her. Besides-" she tightened her grip, "I don't think she'll let go anytime soon."

Freeda laughed and motioned for Kino to walk with her. They talked a bit, and she felt herself relaxing in the familiar company. Kino and Freeda, while they hadn't been the best of friends, had spent a lot of time together, along with Shiro. Of course, being three out of the grand total of twelve female officers out of the crew of 97 people on Blue Six, it was natural they spent some time together.

Howan, suddenly realizing she had left her teddy bear behind, looked over Kino's shoulder with a panicked expression. Hayami, still struggling with the young officer beside him, noticed and, sighing and wincing in pain, reached down and scooped up the toy.

Howan smiled at him gratefully, and then laid her head on Kino's shoulder and began to idly play with her hair.

* * *

_Author's Notes: Woohoo! My first Blue Sub. No. 6 fan fiction! Yay! Now, just so you all know: This story is mindless, plotless, stress relief. The whole reason I'm writing this is to take a break from life. I will update when I feel like it. Right now, the whole idea is to get Kino and Hayami together… after that, who knows!_

_Let me repeat:_ **THIS STORY HAS NO PLOT!**_ So if it seems like it's not going anywhere, it probably isn't… And most of this story will be pointless Kino/Hayami fluff. M'kay? Good._

_Now be sure to review!_

Graywords-girl


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter two**

Hayami, for the fifth time in the past two minutes, hissed in pain and glared at the nurse who was currently poking and prodding at him. She was enjoying this _way_ too much. He could tell just by looking at her face.

It was bad enough that Iga had forced him to get checked out in the infirmary (He had threatened that if Hayami didn't comply, he'd send Kino after him), but the fact that he had to stay the night was even worse. If there was one thing Hayami didn't like, it was having other people take care of him. But, at the moment, he had no choice.

The nurse reached into some drawer, and pulled out a slim container. From the slim container, she produced a needle. Hayami's eyes widened briefly. Okay, he definatly needed to get out of there, and fast. He didn't like needles. He'd had a few run ins with them in the past, and they weren't his friends.

Right before he was about to jump out of the bed and make a mad dash for the door, a small head poked out. Blonde pigtails bouncing, Howan made her way over to the bed, her eyes twinkling. The nurse noticed the small girl, and was about to shoo her out, when she noticed the glare Hayami was giving her.

Flustering, she immediately made some excuse for having "Other patients" to attend to, and rushed out. Damn, he was good.

Howan, having not noticed the interaction, climbed up onto the bed and sat next to him, quickly getting comfortable in the uncomfortable pile of blankets and pillows. Smiling at him, she reached over and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, squeezing tightly.

Hayami, caught off guard by her action, paused a moment, before shifting so the little girl wasn't putting so much pressure on his ribs, and then carefully putting a hand to her back. He wasn't used to this. Kids usually ran away from him screaming. Having a little girl seem to trust him so much was surprising. But, in a way, it was refreshing. At least a few people still trusted him.

While he had been lost in his thoughts, Howan had climbed into his lap, still hugging him, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I'm glad you're okay," she said, softly. She paused a minute, before talking again. "Yuri said I shouldn't talk to you. He said you were a bad influence,"

Hayami coughed. Yuri was probably right about that… Hayami wasn't exactly the best role model for a little girl to follow.

"But I don't think so…" Howan continued. "How can you bad if you saved us all?"

He looked down at her in surprise. When he had first met Howan, he'd had the impression that she fairly mature. Indeed, she was. But she still had such simplistic views. She didn't understand that he hadn't _meant_ to save them. It had been a fluke. An incredibly lucky fluke, but a fluke non-the-less.

What should he say to her, though? She was just a child, after all. Who was he to shatter the happy world she'd begun to build? Even if it did revolve around a lie…

Howan yawned, obviously drained of energy from the hurried string of events that had taken place. _That much stress isn't good for a kid,_ Hayami thought.

After a moment, Hayami heard the child's soft breathing grow even. He knew he should call someone to move her to her room, but he really didn't mind having her there. It relaxed him, in a way. The fact that she could be so at ease around him told him that maybe he wasn't so hopeless, after all.

* * *

Kino wandered into the infirmary, for two reasons. The first being to check on Hayami; she knew how much he hated doctors. (And to make sure he hadn't ran off and/or killed the medical staff) And the second being to look for Howan. The little girl had mentioned going to see Hayami at one point, and Yamada was currently panicking, because he couldn't find the small child.

When she finally reached the door leading to Hayami's room, she stopped short. She wished she had a camera. Howan had found her way to Hayami, and was currently napping on his lap. It was adorable. And, Hayami actually didn't seem to mind.

_Maybe I'll just come back later…_ she thought to herself as she began to inch away.

"Kino…" Too late. Hayami had seen her, and quietly called her over, motioning with the hand that wasn't holding up Howan's sleeping form. She complied, walking over to stand beside his bed.

"I didn't know you had a soft spot for kids…" she said softly, smiling down at him. He shrugged, not saying a word. Kino wasn't sure if he was thinking, or simply wanted the company. Either way, she was there, and the two of them, surprisingly, felt fairly comfortable in each other's presence, though for completely different reasons.

Kino for the fact that she was around familiar surroundings, and familiar friends. And Hayami because he was in the company of people who trusted him. Kino turned away, looking out his window. He had received one of the few rooms with a window due to the fact everywhere else was full. The infirmary was busy, due to Iga's order that everyone had to get checked out by the end of the week.

Looking out at the ocean, she couldn't help but smile. She felt completely at ease. She had missed this place. She was so comfortable.

"God, you look so happy you're gonna burst," Hayami muttered, shocking her out of her thoughts, quoting what she had said to him when he had first seen Blue Dome. She turned to look at him. He was smiling at her; it was a bit eerie… "Like a little kid."

She flustered, looking down at the ground. "I… I never thought I'd see this place again." She motioned with arm at their surroundings. "This submarine has been my home for so long now. It's all I have left… I'm happy to be back."

She stopped for a moment, turning back to the window with a wistful look. "They say 'Home is where the heart is'. My mother used to add something to that. She would say to me, 'Mayumi, Home is where the heart is, but your heart is with the ones you love,'" She glanced at him. "Do you believe that?"

Hayami thought about it. Really thought about it. The fact was, he had never really had anyone he really cared about. Not really. He had stopped caring a long time ago. Long before Katsuma. In fact, Katsuma had been the first person Hayami had been able to call his "friend" since he had been a child.

But what about now? Kino had certainly managed to weasel her way under his skin. In several ways, he considered her the only one he really did care about. Which only made him get even more frustrated, because after Katsuma, he had sworn to himself he would never get that close to a person again.

And yet here he was, with his "friend" standing beside his bed as he once again shifted Howan. The little girl stirred, before murmuring under her breath and slipping back into her sub-conscious.

Kino smiled at the little girl, and, gently placing a hand on top of the sleeping child's head, stroked her curls. Howan was such a wonder. She had to deal with so much, and yet still managed to maintain her innocence. Said girl immediately tilted her head in her sleep into Kino's hand, recognizing the feel of it.

Kino suddenly realized that Yamada was still probably panicking and tearing apart Blue Six.

"I need to take her to her room." She said softly to Hayami, nodding at Howan. He nodded, understanding, and carefully began to untangle himself from the girl's arms. Kino easily lifted her girl up, and Howan shifted in Kino's arms, looking for a comfortable position.

Hayami reached over and into the dresser beside his bed that was used to hold personal items while Kino struggled to get Howan in a position that she could stand. He pulled out the teddy bear he had taken from the beach and lifted it up for Kino to take.

Finally, Howan and Kino reached a compromise, with Howan resting her head on Kino's shoulder, and Kino holding the girl up. Kino smiled and took the bear. Somehow, despite how careful Kino and Hayami had been, Howan had woken up a bit and saw her bear.

"Mr. Nonaka…" she murmured, taking the bear from Kino and squeezing it. Kino looked the little girl over and decided she still wasn't awake enough to walk all the way back to her room.

Leaving the room, she left Hayami to his thoughts.

* * *

After leaving Howan to Yamada, Kino had wandered around Blue Six with no real destination, until she had come upon the cafeteria. Shrugging to herself, she wandered in and ordered some French fries.

Tsuji cooked them up in a few moments, and Kino took a seat at one of the tables, nibbling quietly at her food. She really wasn't paying much attention to anything.

Right now, she was going over the events of the last few hours. She had been worried about Hayami when she had gone to check on him. She really did consider him her friend, and that entitled her to worry. But, was that all it was? Simple concern for a friend? Or maybe a bit more?

She groaned. What _was _she thinking? And since when had she questioned her own judgment? This was getting way too complicated for her. At first, she had been positive that it _had_ been only concern for her new friend. But then she had wandered in and saw him with Howan, and a part of her had stopped breathing.

She had never seen him like that before. He seemed so content, almost relaxed. She even caught the hint of a smile on his face. Not the cocky grin, or infamous smirk, but a real smile. That alone made her heart swell with something she wasn't familiar with.

She had felt like that only twice before. The first had been when she had first come to Blue Six, almost eight years previous. She had felt so out of place and alone. And the side-cracks and sarcastic comments most of the guys made hadn't helped. But then, something had changed.

Kino had been walking down one of the corridors, minding her own business, when one of the crewmembers that she couldn't place had seen her, and started the torment. He had laughed at her, murmuring about her being a "Little lost girl". She had gotten so mad; she had shouted some random insult. The man was less than impressed. He had advanced on her, cracking his knuckles. He had pulled back to strike her, shouting that he would, "Teach that little brat a lesson about who's in charge!". She had squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the hit.

It never came. When she finally worked up the courage to open her eyes, she had seen something surprising. A large, dark skinned man had blocked the strike, and with ease, tossed the man away. Kino remembered what he had said to the man,

"Next time you want to play rough, pick someone a bit more willing, eh?"

The dark skinned man had introduced himself later as Shidora. He had been Kino's first real friend on Blue Six, and Kino still had a close relationship with him. He was like an older brother to her. And he had stood up for her on several occasions.

The second time Kino had felt so strongly had been very recently; in the midst of Hayami's fight with Verg, actually. When Verg had grabbed Hayami by the throat, she had felt fear rush into her. When the monster had finally released him, she had hesitated only a moment before going to him. She had been so relieved.

And then, Verg had leaned towards them, glaring harshly. She had been scared. She wasn't afraid to admit to her fear. And for some reason, she had grabbed onto Hayami. To her surprise, he had wrapped his arm around her, and while she was still terrified, she had the sudden feeling that she was safe. That everything would be okay.

Through out the entire thing, she had felt several new emotions towards Hayami. Fear, respect, and… and…

_Oh, hell, just say it!_ She shouted mentally. _Love_. She had felt love for him. Grumbling, Kino buried her head into her arms. She was content to stay like that, slumped over her fries, until she felt a finger poke her in the back.

Shiro stood with Freeda, both of them looking over her. After a moment, she sat on one side of Kino, and Freeda on the other.

"What's wrong with you?" Shiro questioned, flipping a piece of her redish-brown hair over her shoulder, and then snatching a fry from Kino.

"Hey!" Kino protested, defensively moving her fries away from Shiro. Shiro laughed and shrugged.

"I'm hungry."

"So get your own!"

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Tsuji hates me."

Kino snorted, trying to hold in her laughter. Freeda didn't even try. She just tilted her head back and erupted into a series of loud laughs. Shiro shrugged, and stole another fry. Tsuji was glaring at her again. Freeda and Kino noticed, and then both started to laugh. Shiro joined them.

After sobering, Kino leaned over to Shiro. "So why does Tsuji hate you?"

Freeda answered for her, "You remember when we docked at the remains of Los Angelus?"

Kino nodded.

Freeda lowered her voice so the chef couldn't hear. "Well, Tsuji had invited Shiro out for dinner. Poor Shiro was so out of it, after working almost forty-eight hours straight without rest that she didn't even notice she had accepted. Afterwards, she comes to my room in a panic. She worried herself to sleep, and slept right through the 'date'."

Shiro nodded and continued. "Since I stood him up, he's completely ignored me. I've had to get Alessandro to fetch me my food for the past month!"

Kino let out a low whistle. That was some grudge…

Shiro suddenly thought of something, and leaned a bit farther over the table to look at Freeda. "Speaking of Alessandro, how're things going on between you two?"

Freeda snorted. "They're not."

"Oh, come on! Give him a shot!" Shiro stated. "After all, you two are lucky. I'd give up quite a bit to have some handsome guy take an interest in me."

Kino choked. "What!"

Shiro sat up a bit. "Well, all I seem to be able to attract are old men who-"

"No, no!" Kino interrupted. "What do you mean "You two"?"

Freeda laughed. "She means me with Alessandro, and you with Hayami."

"What!"

Shiro and Freeda shared a look, before Shiro placed a hand on Kino's shoulder. "Oh, please. Hayami is possibly one of _the_ cutest guys on this sub., hands down."

Kino shook her head. "What do you mean he has an 'interest' in me?"

Shiro and Freeda both shrugged, "We figured you two had something going on. You guys spend enough time together…"

Kino flushed, but said nothing. What could she say? For one thing, she couldn't really deny that she had an interest in him. Whether the feeling was shared, she wasn't sure. And she really didn't want to start another rumor.

Freeda paused for a moment. "Come on, you guys. Let's go to my room and talk more,"

They stood up and left, with Kino pausing only briefly to discard her now cold French fries.

* * *

_Author's Notes: Yay! Chapter two is done! This is really fun, writing for nothing but fun. I should have done this a while ago. By the way, Howan's bear's name is Mr. Nonaka, right? I think it is…_

_And a big thanks goes out to my two reviewers: _**Chshr** _and_ **I wont tell**.

**Please review** _you guys! It makes me feel special!_

Graywords-girl♥


	3. Chapter three

**Chapter Three**

**

* * *

**

Hayami was bored. It was going on his fifth hour stuck in the infirmary, and he was sick of twiddling his thumbs waiting. Waiting for what, he wasn't sure. Anything would have been more entertaining than _this_. He was truly bored. He had even spent the last fifteen minutes glaring at the door, willing some one, preferably a certain stubborn red head, to walk through it. To no avail.

He wondered briefly if this was some sort of cosmic joke being played on him for all the times he had pushed people away, preferring to be alone. Now, he was practically begging for _someone _to at least show that there was some life still on Blue Six.

He'd been thinking a lot. He'd wondered what Howan was doing (Probably still sleeping, he concluded.), and how the Granpus was fairing with the new mechanic that Iga had picked up somewhere, and even whether Yuri was getting tormented by some of the crazies that lived on the big boat. (The last one was more of wishful thinking) But the thought he kept on returning to was what Kino was up to.

"Damn!" He cursed, knowing no one was around to hear it. She had somehow managed to weasel her way into his thoughts, _again_. He'd been thinking about her a lot. A lot more than he should have been. But, still, here he was, thinking about her once more.

Kino was amazing. She had dealt with so much, but still somehow managed to deal with one more thing, without complaint. She deserved a good rest. And she had been so kind to him, even when he had been an absolute jerk to her.

When he had been fighting Verg, she had put herself in danger to try and help. She had gone to his side so quickly, and had been so concerned. She was the type of girl Hayami really didn't mind being around.

It helped that she was attractive. Very attractive. Even with her tom-boy attitude and look, she still managed to remind him that she was, indeed, still a woman.

Even from the beginning, he had known it would be hell working with her. When Hayami wanted something, he took it. Waiting for the right moment wasn't something he did. In his book, the right moment was when he wanted it to be right. He had wanted a lot of things. Most of which he had gotten. But right now, he wanted _her_.

But he wouldn't do that to her. He had actually come to care for her, and she seemed to enjoy his company. She was the first in a while. He wasn't going to push her away. So, he had tried not to think about her. It didn't work.

In the past five hours, Hayami had been thinking of her so much that he had actually managed to complete and re-define a list of questions he had been musing on to ask Kino when she finally came back to pester him. Several of them were simply out of curiosity, while others were more serious.

But that didn't change the fact that he was bored _now_. He did consider, briefly, just getting up and leaving. But then he would have to deal with the wrath of Kino. She was scary when she was really mad. Really scary. Scary enough that it kept Hayami promptly glued to his bed. He'd also considered bribing the nurses to let him out early. But he didn't for two reasons: The first being that the nurses were twisted, and he really didn't want to have anything to do with them, and the second being that he would still have to deal with Kino.

"Damn," he cursed again. "I wonder what she's doing…?" he mused to himself, before realizing that he was thinking about her again.

Everyone stuck in the infirmary jumped five feet in the air at the sound of a loud yell and curse of frustration.

* * *

Kino laughed. Hard. So hard, she had rolled off Freeda's bed, which she was lying on, and was currently holding her stomach for fear of it exploding. Of course, Shiro and Freeda weren't much better off.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Kino coughed and attempted to sober up. Until she made eye contact with her two friends. Which sent them all into a fit of laughter, again.

_This is absurd!_ Kino thought to herself. They didn't even know why they were laughing. For the most part, they were probably laughing because they needed to. None of them had had much to laugh at in the past few months. It felt good. It felt good to just be able to let go and laugh. They weren't worried about the world ending, or getting blown up. For the moment, they weren't "Kino: Granpus Pilot", "Freeda: Planesman", and "Shiro: Fire Arm control". They were Kino, Freeda, and Shiro, three friends enjoy they're time together.

Finally, the three calmed down and Kino looked at the time. It was late, or early, rather. Almost two in the morning. She was about to open her mouth to say something, when Shiro cut her off.

"Kino, you still haven't changed!"

Kino blinked a moment, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

"Your clothes!" Freeda provided, waving a hand at Kino.

Looking down, Kino realized that they were right. She was still in her pilot suit. She had meant to get changed into her jumpsuit earlier, but had forgotten and gotten sidetracked. Kino laughed and rested her head in her hand, shaking her head. Oh well, at least it provided an excuse to head back to her room.

Standing up, Kino said goodnight, and made her way back to her room. The walk didn't take long, and the hallways were empty. People were finally getting a chance to rest, and most were taking advantage of it. Finally reaching her room, Kino pushed open the door that was almost always kept unlocked and went inside.

Once inside, she stretched her mussels and slid out of her suit, replacing it with a simple cotton robe. Grabbing her suit, she began to rummage through the almost invisible pockets, looking for the piece of gum she had shoved in right before she and Hayami had left.

For Kino, gum was her addiction. It kept her sane part of the time, and it was a nervous habit of hers to chew it when things got bad. Instead of bringing out the gum she pulled out something smooth, and metal. Bringing it up to the light, she gave a little gasp as she recognized it.

"Hayami's lighter…" she murmured to herself, turning it over in her hands. She had picked it up on the beach when she had gone to the Granpus to get the washcloth. She had meant to give it back to him, but had held onto it for some reason. She needed to give it back…

Hayami was probably still awake. Kino quickly pulled on her blue jumpsuit and left her room, still grasping the lighter, heading for the infirmary.

The lights in the infirmary were dimmed, and most of the people, aside from a skeleton staff, were sleeping. Kino found her way to Hayami's room and peeked in.

_Damn…_ she thought to herself when she saw him. He was sleeping. He was actually kind of cute when he slept. He looked at ease, without worry. It was probably the first real decent sleep he'd had in days. She wouldn't wake him now.

Instead, she walked over and placed the light on the dresser beside his bed. She stood beside his bed for a moment, watching as he softly inhaled and exhaled. It was nice to see him in such a calmed state.

She had checked in with the medical staff earlier to check on his status, and it turned out her hadn't broken anything. He was just bruised. Which meant that they would be able to release him earlier than expected. Hayami didn't know yet, but by now, he had probably of scared the staff so badly that they would be excited to get rid of him.

Reaching out carefully, she placed a hand gently on his cheek, smiling softly as he murmured something, but didn't stir. It was amazing how fast she had come to care for him. In the beginning, she couldn't have cared less what had happened to him, and now she was worried because of a few bruises. It was pathetic…

But still nice in the same way. It showed that she wasn't completely numb to emotion. While she had recognized the feeling of hatred, and fear, and even respect, it had been years since she'd felt love. Sure, she cared for the people on Blue Six, but not like this.

Leaning down, Kino hovered above him. She could feel his breath against her cheek. So soft, warm, and soothing. She flexed her free hand as her eyes slid shut. She felt her knees buckle under her, and had to struggle to hold her balance. She was so close. So close…

She stopped suddenly, and pulled away, making a quick run for the door. After she was safely behind it, with Hayami still sleeping on the other side, she rested her back against the door and attempted to calm her rapid breathing. She could feel the warm flush against her face, and it was hard for her to control her heart.

_What just happened?_ She asked herself, placing a hand over her heart. Calming down a bit, she shook her head and stood up. _I need a shower…

* * *

_

Hayami opened his eyes slowly. Rolling onto his side, he glanced at the clock near him. 2:55 in the morning. He'd only been asleep an hour. His eyes fell upon a small, glimmering object resting on the dresser. Sitting up, he grasped the lighter and looked at it in surprise. He hadn't expected to ever see it again. Where had it come from?

He brought it up close to his face, looking it over. He caught a familiar scent then. It had the smallest hint of lavender and jasmine, mixed in with a smell that reminded him of the ocean. Much too feminine for him. But he had smelled this before. He had noticed it a few days earlier.

"Kino…"

So she had found it and brought it to him while he was sleeping. Interesting. He would have to thank her later. He jumped when he heard a knock at the door.

Standing there was, of all people, Iga, with a manila folder tucked under his arm. The captain walked in, taking his time until he came to stop beside the bed.

"So, finally awake, eh?" Iga grinned at him, and Hayami found himself smirking. "Kino was in here a little while ago. Checking up on you, probably. Came out in a rush. It surprised me."

Iga paused, before pulling the manila folder out and looking it over. Clearing his throat, he brought his eyes back up to meet Hayami's questioning ones.

"What's…" Hayami trailed off as he watched Iga.

"Medical report says that, aside from a few bruises, you're fine. And I need to make room for a couple of new patients. So," Iga paused, and jerked his thumb towards the door, silently telling Hayami to get out.

Hayami smirked. Iga could never make it seem like he was doing something nice. He always had to be the "big, bad captain". It was amusing, in some aspects. Hayami nodded, understanding, and Iga stood and left, waving over his shoulder.

It took Hayami a few minutes to get dressed and get out of the infirmary. He knew the staff was only too happy to let him leave. He thought he even heard a few cheers as he made his way down the hall. At this point, he had two options. He could go back to his room and be bored there, or find Kino and thank her for returning his lighter. Of course, in the process of doing the latter, he might wake her up from sleeping.

He thought it over. In the end, he deiced he'd deal with Kino's wrath.

It didn't take him long to reach her room. The door was unlocked, surprisingly. Not that he was complaining. He knocked, waiting for a reply. The metal door echoed down the corridor. But there was no sound other than that. Pausing, Hayami shrugged and pushed open the door, looking in.

"Kino?"

Her room wasn't as neat as Hayami expected. A few shirts were toppled over the floor, as well as tools and a few magazines. A few pictures littered the table beside her bed, which had blue sheets with crescent moons on them. Weird… A single music box sat opened on her bed, which was actually neatly made.

He heard the water running in the bathroom. She was taking a shower, apparently. He heard something mixed in with the sound of the water. Her voice. He had never pegged Kino as the singing in the shower type, but apparently he was wrong. And she didn't sound too bad, either. She had a sweet, soprano voice that was almost a clear as a bell.

He couldn't make out the words of the song, but it was slow, and fairly emotional.

Taking a seat on her bed, he lifted up the music box. Grasping the small handle on the bottom, he began to wind it up. The melody that played saw soothing, and soft. And sad enough that even Hayami was moved in a way. A picture was glued to the underside of the lid. He looked at it carefully.

It was old. Four people stood in it. A small family. A little girl sat on an older one's shoulders, and looked like she was about to fall off. The mother and father stood behind them, both laughing, ready to catch the girl. The mother had dark hair that came down in soft waves. The father's hair was a brown-ish red. The older girl, who looked to be in her mid-teens, had her mother's face, but her father's hair. And the little girl, who couldn't have been more than six years old, seemed to take after both of them.

Was this Kino's family? They looked so happy. And very close. Even though it was just a photo, Hayami could see it in their faces. Judging by their clothes, they weren't the most well off family in the world, but they obviously didn't care. They had each other.

He heard the water shut off, and knew Kino was coming out now. Putting the music box back where he'd found it, the melody having stopped playing a few moments earlier. He waited.

* * *

Kino sighed happily, slipping out of the shower stall. A nice soak in the shower had done her good. The room was covered in steam, but it would eventually condense. Now fully awake and back in her own rational mind, she could think clearly. It was a good thing Hayami was still in the infirmary. After what had happened, she didn't think she could face him. At least for a few hours.

Wrapping a towel around her small body, she grasped the doorknob and stepped into the living area of her room.

And let out a little cry. Sitting on her bed, looking up at her was Hayami. A faint blush crept up on his face, as he looked her up and down. She wasn't sure whether to be flattered or offended at his wandering eyes. Either way, she didn't move, giving him a slight deer-in-the-headlights look.

After a minute, he coughed, bringing her back to reality.

"Ah… Hayami?" she murmured, giving the towel a little tug to try and pull it down and cover a bit more of her legs, suddenly very self-conscious. "W-what are you doing in here?"

He broke eye contact with her and stood up. He took a few steps towards her, and she felt her own feet step back involuntarily. After a moment, he raised his eyes to meet hers, and his expression left her breathless. His eyes, while they were still the dark orbs she loved, were bouncing with emotion.

Wanting, lust, hunger, passion… each emotion stared her straight in the eye. She continued to back up, until she felt the cold metal of her door pressing against her back. Looking up at him, almost helplessly, she felt all her will and resolve disappear. He stopped inches away from her. He was so close she could feel his breath on her face. Her own breath came out in small short gasps.

He was leaning closer now. His rough, callused hands gripped her shoulders, and her small fingers tangled in with his jumpsuit for balance. Her eyes closed almost by themselves, and she could almost feel his lips against hers.

There was knock on her door, and he pulled away quickly, his eyes wide in surprise.

"Kino?" A voice called from outside the door. _Shiro…_ Kino thought to herself, cursing her friends terrible timing.

"Y-yeah?" Kino replied, shakily.

"Can I come in?"

Kino's eyes widened, and she turned to Hayami, looking around the room in a panic. "Uh… sure! Hold on a sec!"

Finally finding a place that would work, Kino grabbed Hayami by the collar and shoved him into her closet, closing the door quickly.

"Okay! Come in!" Kino called.

Shiro opened the door and stepped inside. Noticing Kino's towel, she paused. "Oh, I didn't interrupt your shower, did I?"

Kino shook her head and waved her off. "No, no, I just got out. So, what's up?"

Shiro cocked her head to the side, before answering, "Have you got an extra tampon I can borrow? I've still got about a week, but I think I'm cutting it a little close…"

Kino laughed and nodded, wandering off to find her own secret stash of feminine products. Shiro traced a pattern into Kino's floor with her foot.

"Must've been one hot shower…" Shiro murmured.

"Hm?" Kino asked, glancing up as she filled a small bag for Shiro.

"Well, you're all flushed. You look like a tomato…"

Kino coughed, her eyes widening. She shook her head and laughed, though it sounded forced. "Oh, yeah! My water heater's been acting up lately…"

Kino walked over and handed her friend the bag. Shiro smiled and thanked her and then wandered off. Kino sighed. She heard Hayami struggle to find his way out of the closet. She watched as he emerged. He was blushing, and it was rather cute…

Kino sighed, and then clicked a few buttons on the door. The lock slid shut, and she turned to look at him.

"We need to talk."

* * *

_Author's note: Woah… a lot happened in this chapter… Honestly, I'm making this up as I go. I didn't even realize what I was writing until I wrote it! I really hope I managed to capture the large amount of sexual tension between Hayami and Kino… I love them as a couple, and there aren't enough fics for them._

_Man, I'm getting a chapter out almost daily… kinda scary for me… I usually keep people waiting for months. But, then again, it's so unfair to leave an already empty fandom hanging like that. And I'm enjoying this way too much!_

**Please review** _you guys! I love to hear from you!_

Graywords-girl♥


	4. Chapter four

**Chapter four**

**

* * *

**

**WARNING**: This chapter contains implied sex and/or slight citrus content. If you are underage, or simply don't want to read it, please skip the next few parts until you reach this symbol: **☺☺☺**. **You have been warned**.

* * *

"_We need to talk_." 

Hayami wasn't listening. Well, he was, but he wasn't really paying attention. He was having trouble with himself. He had almost kissed her. And that was just like Kino, to try and talk it off. But the thing that really surprised him was the fact that she had actually responded in a way other than attempting to shoot his head off.

He looked up at her. She was still flushed slightly, and her breath was still a bit rigid. Her lips were parted ever so slightly, and he found his eyes staring a bead of sweat slipped down the side of her face. She was beautiful. He really hadn't thought of her in those terms before. Attractive, sure. Pretty, of course. But she was much more than those, not only in her looks. Beautiful didn't even begin to describe her.

And she hadn't fought it. She hadn't fought _him_.

In that moment, he realized something changed. He had changed. His desires had changed. He didn't want her anymore. He needed her.

He walked up to her, this time more in control, knowing what he was doing, and yet still helpless to stop it. He gently, but still firmly, cupped her face with both hands, tilting it up towards him. She looked up at him, and her breath caught in her throat. Were they really going to do this?

He paused when he was just centimeters from her lips, breathing softly onto them, and spoke to her, "No more talking".

With that, he pressed his lips to hers. She surprised him by matching him in every aspect; his passion, wanting, hunger. Maybe he wasn't the only one who needed this.

* * *

When he kissed her, Kino felt everything just disappear. She wanted this. She knew she wanted this. And now, she was getting it. She responded to his kiss, allowing him the initiative, but still showing her own desires in the same aspect. He deepened it after a few seconds, and she felt the feeling in her body begin to come back.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers entangling with his already messy hair. She leaned in to him a bit more, knowing that for his size, it would be hell to stay hunched over kissing her like that.

The single kiss soon branched into many. Hayami found his way to her neck, and gently placed several small kisses upon it. She moaned a bit in pleasure, before turning her head and catching his lips with her own again. She felt his hands fall from her shoulders, where they had been resting, to her waist, and then slowly begin to work they're way up.

She felt her towel-her last form of protection- fall to the floor. His hand slipped down to grasped the back of her knee, using it as leverage to lift her up. She quickly locked her legs at the small of his back, her lips never once leaving his. Still tangled together, they somehow managed to find their way to the bed.

Everything else for her happened in a blur. She remembered them kissing; their hands exploring each other. She remembered him. He hadn't forced her into it. In fact, he had, without the use of words, demanded that she play an equal part in it. He hadn't pushed her to it, instead inducing her, using his kisses and wandering hands to plant the idea in her mind. Not that she minded.

It had been odd. She had never met a guy who had been so gentle with her, and yet still managed to be so forward. She had expected him to just take what he wanted. That seemed like the Hayami thing to do. But he didn't. He had done more than that. He had managed to express his wanting and desire to her, and while she had the feeling that there would have been no stopping him. She hadn't wanted him to stop.

When they finally pulled away from each other, he had collapsed at her side, breathing heavily. They were both exhausted, but somehow managed to find the strength to get into a comfortable position. She slept with her back to him, not because she was ashamed, or afraid to look at him, but because she preferred to sleep on her side. He didn't seem to mind. He simply rolled over and wrapped his arm around her, burying his face in her hair.

They both fell asleep that night, completely content with what they had done.

* * *

☺☺☺

* * *

When Kino woke up, bright sunlight streamed through her window. It confused her for a minute, until she remembered that Blue Six was docking that afternoon, and they had probably surfaced. She also remembered the events of the night before.

His arm was still around her waist, but his other hand was busy. Mainly drawing little spiral patterns alone the curve of her spine. He must have realized that she was awake, because he stopped and rested his head in his hand, propping himself on his elbow.

She wondered briefly whether he was just going to leave and insist that it never happened. While he wasn't the type to run away, it wouldn't surprise her.

He spoke finally, "Things are different, now."

Different? Of course they were different! They were never going to be able to work together in the same way again. But then again, she really didn't regret anything. But did he?

"Are you okay with that?" she was surprised with how confident her voice sounded. It was smooth, and didn't crack at all. She was suddenly glad she slept on her side. She didn't have to see his face this way.

"I don't regret it, if that's what you mean."

She felt her breath catch in her throat. She wanted more than anything to believe him. If he was speaking truthfully, then maybe they really could make it work. She knew what she wanted: she wanted him with her. That was what she wished for. But, she couldn't believe it. She didn't believe in fairytale endings. And she wasn't going to start.

"Are you sure about that?"

He sat up then, and she turned a bit, looking at him. He didn't leave, however. Instead, he grabbed her arm and yanked her up to sit beside him. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked into her eyes.

"Kino, I've wanted this for so long. Do you realize just how many times I've woken up in a cold sweat, dreaming about this?" He shook her, just a bit, to get his point across.

She stubbornly held her head up. She wasn't going to back down. Until she was sure of it, she wasn't going to give. She knew she could only push him so far, but at this point, she needed to forget limits.

"About what, Hayami? Me, or the sex?"

That surprised him. He dropped his hands and looked away. After a minute, he spoke, "Do you want an honest answer?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

He sighed. This was obviously hard for him. After all, how do you tell a girl that you've been fantasizing about them for a while, but just recently began to think of it as more than just a lust for sex?

He took in a breath, but still didn't look at her. "At first, yes, it was about the sex." Kino's fist tightened, and she flex it, not speaking. He turned to her, and his eyes almost looked pleading. "But then, it changed, Kino. It changed. It stopped being about the sex a while ago. I want you. _All_ of you."

He moved so he was sitting on the edge of the bed.

Kino felt suddenly a mixture of guilt and happiness. Guilt because she had pushed him so far, and had made him feel like she didn't want it. And happiness because he seemed willing to stay with it, with her. Slowly, she crawled over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his back.

"I'm glad." She said softly. "I want you too."

* * *

Kino and Hayami crept into the briefing room, where Iga was currently explaining the current situation Blue Six was in and what was going to happen. It was dark, as Iga had a few slides on the screen as he explained. It was easy to slip in undetected, and they took a seat on the floor against the wall, side by side. No one noticed.

They were both in their blue jumpsuits. After a few minutes of simply sitting together in Kino's bed, relaxing and enjoying their time together, Kino had suddenly remembered the morning debriefing Iga had insisted she and Hayami attend. They had managed to throw on their clothes in record time, and had gotten to the room, a ten-minute walk, in less than two minutes.

"So, basically, we're on stand-by until further notice." Iga explained.

"You mean until they figure out what to do with the nukes." Someone, sounding suspiciously like Freeda, shouted out. A few voices rose up.

Iga paused, before sighing. "In not so many words, yes."

The voice rose up and Iga had to struggle to be heard over the uproar. Finally, Shidora stood and gave a high-pitched whistle, causing everyone to look up simultaneously. Iga sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"We're docking in the remains of Osaka in a few hours. You all should have at least a month, possibly more, to relax and try to get a bit of a social life."

Several people chuckled.

He cleared his throat. "Dismissed." The people in the room began to file out slowly, talking amongst themselves. Several shouts could be heard, as people grew more and more excited at having a break. Just as Hayami and Kino began to stand, Iga called over, "Ah, Kino, Hayami? I need to see you two."

They shared a look, before walking over towards Iga. He sighed as the last few people left the room, before turning towards the pair. Kino gave a salute in respect, and he nodded at her.

"You two were pretty late," he stated, and both Kino and Hayami had to struggle not to blush. "Anything I should know about?"

Kino immediately began to think up a few excuses. But none really seemed like they would work. What could they say to him? That they had been up late last night going at _it_? Definatly not the thing you tell your commanding officer…

Lucky for her, Hayami was much more skilled at lying and making up stories. "Ah, Kino decided that I was being too active and decided to lecture me on my bad habits." He gave a shrug, as though it weren't important. "You know how stubborn she can be,"

Kino bit her lower lip to keep from yelling at him. She wasn't _that_ bad! But the way he was making it seem, she was the worst nag in the world! She told herself he was only trying to keep the heat off her, and he didn't mean it, but that didn't stop her from glaring.

Iga laughed. "Well, I suppose I should fill you in on what you missed." He cleared his throat. "It seems a party's going to be held her in Osaka for the Blue Fleet. You two are considered the guests of honor. It _is_ high class, so where something nice," he eyed Hayami, "the party's at the end of the month."

Kino smiled and nodded.

Iga smirked. "You two have about two hours before we dock. Enjoy yourself and take a break. You deserve it." He paused a minute, before turning to Kino, "Oh, Yamada asked me if you wouldn't mind baby-sitting tonight. Seems he has a bit of date…"

Kino laughed and nodded. "No problem."

Iga grinned, and then waved them away, signaling they could leave.

As they walked towards the door, Kino leaned towards Hayami and whispered to him, "I am _not_ stubborn!"

He chuckled, and responded, in a quiet voice, "Of course you're not. Not you."

"I am not!"

He only responded by laughing and walking a few paces ahead. She paused to think it over, and realized what had happened. He had cornered her, in a sense, into proving his point for him. She glared, and hurried after him.

* * *

Hayami sat, once again, on Kino's bed. He was quite comfortable at the moment. They had just come back from the cafeteria, after enjoying a nice dinner. The boat had docked, and most of the crew was out enjoying themselves at New Osaka, which, while it was still in construction, was doing fairly well.

Kino and Hayami had decided in the last few hours that they would keep their new found relationship to themselves, both preferring to not to draw too much attention.

Hayami was waiting for Kino, who had decided that a shower would be nice. Hayami found himself going through her photos. She had several, each different. The one he currently held in his hand was of Kino, and Howan, who was wearing a large costume making her look almost identical to her bear. This picture raised some questions in his mind.

He heard the sound of the bathroom door opening, and Kino stepped out, wearing one of his shirts. He glanced up at her and chuckled. The shirt was a bit too big for her, and came down to a few inches above her knees. The sleeves were long, and came down so far that only her fingertips were visible.

She smiled and walked over, climbing onto the bed and crawling over to him, resting her head on his shoulder from behind as she glanced at what he held.

Her smile only grew. "That was taken about a year and a half ago…"

He turned his head slightly to look at her, "And she's wearing a bear costume because…?"

She giggled and took the photo into her hands, stroking its surface. "It was Howan's first week at Blue Six, and it was the week of Halloween," she explained. "Howan's family had always taken her Trick-or-Treating. She was a bit depressed, and lonely.

"So, the night before Halloween, Shiro, Freeda, and I stayed up all night making that costume for her. I set everything up with Tsuji. Everyone was given a handful of candy. So, on Halloween, I took Howan Trick-or-Treating around Blue Six. "

She smiled happily at the memory, before looking up at Hayami. He was looking at her, his gaze gentle, and as close to loving as Hayami would get.

He spoke very softly to her, "You did that?"

Kino smiled. "Yeah." She shrugged, before reaching up and giving him a little tug at the collar. "I'm sleepy."

She didn't wait for a response as she climbed under the covers of her bed. Hayami chuckled, and placed the photo back on her table, before taking his spot beside her. She slid into his arms, resting her head on his chest, and relaxed.

Hayami spent a few minutes thinking. In a few short hours, they had become so comfortable with each other, almost as though they'd been in a relationship for years. Neither minded physical contact, and they enjoyed their moments together.

It had been a while since either of them had been this close to a person. And for both of them, it seemed like they were a perfect match. Hayami was actually happy. Being with Kino, and knowing it was okay, seemed perfect. He really hoped it would stay that way.

* * *

_Author's notes: Holy mother of all chapters! Did I actually write _that_? Wow… but it seemed to just flow so easily… Ah, well, I do hope this was enjoyable._

_You know, a funny thing, but when I was writing the beginning the scene, The ending song, _Mina Soko Ni Nemure_, was playing over and over in my mind. It seems to fit the scene so well… what do you think? (By the way, I've been searching for a copy of that damn song, but can't find it anywhere, any ideas?)_

_Yay! I'm so happy with this chapter! Oh, and _I Wont Tell_, was this better than a simple kiss? Wasn't it worth the wait?_

_Okay! _**Please review!** _It makes me happy!_

Graywords-girl♥


	5. Chapter five

**Chapter five**

Kino was jolted out of her peaceful sleep but the sound of pounding at her door. She peeked her eyes open and glanced at the clock. It was only nine PM. She had only fallen asleep a few hours earlier. She and Hayami had eaten an early dinner and gone to bed early, to make up for lost sleep the night before. The pounding continued, and Kino grumbled, nestling deeper into Hayami's arms.

After a point, when Kino was almost asleep again, Hayami's voice caused her jump in surprise. His words rumbled slightly in her ears as his chest moved up and down. "For God's sake, Kino, just answer the damn door…"

Kino groaned, but sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. Reaching over, she gave a Hayami a quick hit on the chest, letting him know that if she had to stay awake, so did he. He waved her off, but opened his eyes and gave a small yawn. The pounding hadn't stopped. Kino rolled her eyes at the person's persistence and called out, "I'm coming!"

Stumbling towards her door, she unlocked it and peeked out, blinking tiredly. Before stood a rather frantic looking Yamada. She then remembered she was supposed to watch Howan that evening. Flushing from embarrassment at the fact that she had forgotten the girl, Kino smiled at him.

"I'm sorry, Yamada. I was asleep…"

Yamada waved her off quickly, and murmured about being late. Howan popped up behind him, smiling happily at Kino, her teddy bear in her arms. Kino smiled back, and listened with half an ear as Yamada quickly rambled off at her. Nodding half-heartedly as Yamada finished up, she smiled and waved as he walked away at a hurried pace. Kino had the sneaking suspicion that he was late for his "date", as Iga had put it.

Once Yamada had disappeared from view, Kino turned to Howan, who held a small over night bag in her arms, along with her bear. Taking the bag, she turned and led Howan into her room.

Hayami was sitting up now, waiting for her to return. Howan saw him and waved, but then realized that Hayami wasn't usually in Kino's room, and looked up at Kino.

"How come he's here?"

Kino blushed slightly, and noticed out of the corner of her eye that Hayami was chuckling. Kneeling down to eye level with the girl, she smiled, "He's, ah… spending the night with me. Like you."

Howan thought about it, and then shrugged and walked over to Hayami, pausing only briefly to put her bear on the bed, before looking up at Hayami and reaching her arms up. He looked a bit surprised, and unsure as to what she wanted. Kino giggled, and mouthed it out to him.

His ignorance towards children was so cute. He obviously didn't have much experience with kids, and was a bit uncomfortable with not knowing what to do.

Hayami understood, and carefully reached down, as though nervous he would hurt Howan, and lifted her up. She grew quite comfortable on his lap, and happily tugged at a piece of his hair. He held her so gently, Kino noticed. It was almost like he was worried that he would somehow break her. She wasn't a China-Doll. So why was he so worried?

Kino could think of a number of reasons for this. Possibly because he was self-conscious when he was around her, and was afraid of messing up. Or maybe he somehow thought he might, in a way, corrupt Howan. Kino knew Hayami didn't think highly of himself. She would have to talk with about that…

Sighing, Kino turned towards the over night bag and started to shuffle through its contents. There was toothbrush, extra clothes, a snack in case she got hungry… mostly simple things that were required on a regular basis for Howan. Kino smiled and turned towards the two, where Hayami was watching Howan with interest as she talked to her bear. He glanced up and met her eyes, and she smiled at him.

She needed to lie out her extra sleeping bag for Howan so she could sleep. Putting down Howan's bag beside the two on the bed, she wandered over to her closet. Damn, she hated this part.

Getting out anything from her closet was hard. Kino kept an insane amount of items stuffed away in there, most of which residing on the top shelf. This included the sleeping bag. In fact, the closet was so packed up top, that Kino was worried that it might break the shelf. But still, she couldn't get rid of any of the items. They were important to her. They were the only things remaining of her life before Blue Six.

Grumbling, Kino pulled open the door and started to carefully rummage through the items on the top shelf. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach it; her memory began to shift to the last time she had stood like that. Her feet ached, and it was familiar. When she had been four, her mother had forced her to take a Ballet class with her older sister. Surprisingly, Kino had been rather good at it, and had soon moved to Pointe. After a few years of that, however, Kino had switched her interest from Pointe to Figure Skating…

But that was over and done with. She hadn't danced, or skated, in years.

As Kino continued to reach through the items, she was unaware of a pair of eyes trained on her. Or, more correctly, at her legs. Hayami couldn't help but watch. When she reached up like that, the bottom of his shirt moved up so far that it was barely covering her. While he couldn't do it right now, he serious was considering grabbing her and kissing her here. Of course, he couldn't, and he knew that, but he could at least wish, right?

It was funny for him. He'd spent a lot of time making wishes like that. Of course, that was back when he was completely oblivious to Kino's feelings. What was funny was that now, he could actually do it. He didn't have to wish, for the most part. If he wanted, he could kiss her. And not have to worry about her panicking.

Kino continued to grumble, and finally felt the familiar material of the sleeping bag against her fingers. Grabbing it, she gave it a yank. Bad idea.

Kino soon found her self on the floor, with her closet raining objects on her. Half of her memories were currently on the floor. The good news was she got the sleeping bag. Looking up, she saw Howan was laughing her head off in hysterics, and Hayami was watching her with an amused look on face.

Glaring, Kino grabbed a near by pillow that had fallen out of the closet and tossed it at him. Surprisingly, she had a good arm, and the pillow connected with Hayami's face before he could block it. This only caused Howan to laugh harder. Shaking her head, Kino stood up, brushed the dust off of her, and then brought the sleeping bag over.

Laying it down beside the bed, Kino shook her head as Howan started to calm down a bit.

* * *

It had taken almost an hour, but Kino had finally managed to convince Howan to sleep. The little girl was currently breathing softly on her sleeping bag, her bear tucked into her arms.

This gave Kino, and subsequently Hayami, a chance to clean up.

Most of the items that Kino was picking up she hadn't seen in years. Photos, drawings, jewelry, and other things that would otherwise be useless. Hayami had a question about each item, but when he turned to ask Kino, he stopped. He was worried about hurting her. These memories couldn't be happy for her… He didn't want to push. While he was curious, he saw the way she twitched or winced with every item she put away. It was just a reminder of the pain she had gone through. However, he found a few items that explained themselves.

The things he found most interesting were the drawings. Kino had done most of them, he assumed, but a few weren't. He looked over each one, and when Kino glanced over his shoulder, she flushed with embarrassment. They were mostly crude representations of her family; stick figures and such. He found a few he couldn't figure out, but Kino only laughed at him and waved him away.

Eventually, they managed to get most of the items away. The few remaining they pushed aside, making room for movement. By the time they finished, it was well passed midnight. Sighing in exhaustion, Kino collapsed on the bed, quite content to stay in the position she was in currently: diagonally sprawled across the bed, her feet dangling over the edge.

She, however, had no choice but to move when Hayami literally lifted her off of the bed and moved her to one side. She groaned, but allowed him to do so without fighting. Pausing only momentarily to check on Howan, Kino almost immediately curled up beside him as he slid into the bed beside her. He responded by wrapping his arm around her shoulders, holding to him as she relaxed against her body, her bare legs brushing his.

It took only a few moments before each was consumed by sleep.

* * *

Kino wasn't one to complain when a guy tried to be playful with her. In fact, she found it rather cute. But right now, still trying to return to the comforting arms of sleep and unconsciousness, Hayami was being anything but. He was running his fingers along here back, so gently she barely felt them, but just enough that they sent shivers down her spine. She shifted, attempting to shake him off, but he only seemed to grow more persistent.

"Knock it off," she murmured, her words muffled by his chest. She felt his chest rumble as he chuckled, and moved his hand so it was tugging at a piece of her hair. She groaned, and swatted his hand away. It worked, for about three seconds.

Sighing, and knowing that arguing would get her only so far, she peeked her eyes open and glared at him. He smirked at her, which only caused her irritation to grow. "What, is this some sort of morning ritual you're starting? 'Get Kino as angry as possible _before_ she's had her normal dose of caffeine'? Lemme tell you something: _Not_ a good idea."

He only laughed at her, and then stopped playing with her hair and placed his hand on her shoulder, giving her a quick squeeze before he sat up. She looked at him in confusion, before she noticed the small figure hovering beside the bed. Howan was awake and seemed to be watching them with interest.

Kino smiled at the little girl, and then gave Hayami a quick shove, catching him off guard and causing him to topple over the edge of the bed. Howan giggled and Kino ruffled her hair, before sitting up herself. The girl's pigtails had fallen out during the night and her hair came down as a large, tangled mess.

Hayami stood and grabbed his shirt, which had been carelessly tossed aside the night before. Turning to Kino, he smiled at her. "Breakfast?"

Howan jumped and nodded, answering first. "I want eggs! And bacon!"

Kino laughed. Turning to Hayami, she grinned. "Doing room-service now?"

He glared and reached down, grabbing some random article of clothing that was on the ground and tossing it at her. Kino caught the flying sock and stuck her tongue out at him. He spoke to her, and though he was still glaring, his tone was teasing. "Just tell me what you want."

She didn't skip a beat. "Coffee. Black."

He stared at her, before shaking his head. "Didn't think you'd like coffee."

"I don't. But Tsuji makes it bad enough that it'd wake up anything."

Hayami rolled his eyes, but smiled. Howan walked over to him and tugged at his pants. He glanced down and she looked up at him expectantly. Kino knew almost immediately what the child wanted, but Hayami was a different story entirely. He looked uncertainly at the girl, before kneeling down and lifting her up, carefully. Kino smiled. Maybe he _was _learning…

"Can I come?" Howan asked. Hayami looked over her shoulder at Kino silently mouthing out, "_Help!_". Kino stifled a giggle.

"Actually, Howan, I figured you'd might want to stay here and get ready with me." She said, smiling as the girl's curiosity took over and looked at Kino, cocking her head to the side.

"Ready for what?"

Kino smiled, and stretched before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed so they were toughing the floor. "Well, I heard that New Osaka is the first major city in this area to start replenishing they're vegetation and wildlife. I hear they have a park."

Howan's eyes lit up, and Kino could understand the feeling. A place where everything wasn't mechanical? Where it was safe to have fun, and not get funny looks? Where for once, it was safe to be comfortable? Howan had gotten used to the lack of fresh air and open spaces, as Kino had, but Kino knew the girl at times missed being able to just run around and enjoy herself. To just be a kid.

Howan spoke very softly, as though she were afraid if she said it too loud, the idea would disappear and she would find out it was just a cruel joke, "A _real_ park? With swings?"

Kino smiled, "Well, I don't know about swings, but there will be grass."

If it were possible, Kino would have said that Howan lit up like a Christmas tree. Of course, it wasn't possible, but the little certainly did glow. Practically jumping from Hayami to Kino, Howan hugged her closely. Smiling, the older girl placed a hand on her back, and waved Hayami away, signaling he should leave now before he was stopped and they _all_ missed breakfast.

* * *

Making his way towards the cafeteria, Hayami found himself shaking his head as his thoughts drifted. It wasn't really a problem, per-say. He knew his way around the boat well enough. The fact that his thoughts kept straying to the same thing- or person, rather- was a bit frustrating. He'd thought that after he and Kino had finally gotten things straightened out, his thoughts might have cleared up again.

Wrong. _Very_ wrong. Now, he found her in his thoughts even _more_ than before. This time, however, he had more justification. Everything about her was perfect, at least in his mind. She had so many good qualities, but still had enough flaws to counterbalance her personality. But the flaws were, possibly, the reason he was so attracted to her.

It made her more human. She wasn't perfect, but that made her even better. It made it so the relationship seemed more real. And of course, she balanced him out as well.

While he was reckless and really didn't care about himself, she was precise and calculating, planning everything a step ahead. He was set in his ways, and preferred to be alone; she was open to change, and craved company. And she also wasn't afraid to give him a good kick in the ass when he needed it.

Still preoccupied with his thoughts, Hayami walked into the Cafeteria and ordered Kino and Howan's breakfast. He told Tsuji to make some toast for Kino as well as the coffee, feeling that she really did need to energy.

Tsuji glared at him as he prepared the food. Obviously not impressed with their encounter, the chef had determined that Hayami wasn't some one he wanted on the boat. However, since Iga seemed to require the man's services, he would deal with it.

The food took only a few moments, and Tsuji, recognizing that Howan was the only person on the boat that ordered eggs and bacon, as most others preferred coffee in the mornings, gave Hayami a tray to carry the order on. Sending the chef a quick "thanks", Hayami left.

The walk back took more time the walk there. He had to be careful not to spill the food or coffee. The tray itself didn't seem to want to stay balanced, and was constantly tipping to one side or the other, no matter how firmly Hayami held it. He did, however, eventually reach Kino's room. He could just imagine the rumors going around right now about the two of them, what with him disappearing into her room for the second day in a row, and now bringing a tray of food to her…

_They must either think that we're together, or that she's sick… _Hayami thought with a chuckle as he attempted to balance the tray in one hand and open the door with his other.

After trying for a moment, he finally succeeded, and opened the door a crack. He stopped when he heard Kino and Howan talking together.

"He's cute!"

He heard Kino snort with laughter. "Howan, you're too young to be thinking of things like that."

"But he is!" the little girl protested. Kino only laughed, and looked up as Hayami pushed open the door all the way. The two girls were sitting on Kino's bed. Howan was sitting with her back to Kino in-between the older girl's legs as Kino brushed out her hair.

Howan practically jumped Hayami for the food and ate it so fast both he and Kino were stunned she even had time to chew. Kino sipped her coffee quietly, occasionally nibbling at a piece of toast.

Howan jumped up and smiled at the two. "Can we go now?"

Kino shook her head and sipped her hot drink. "You still need to ask Yamada about it, remember?"

The little girl groaned, but nodded. Kino grabbed a watch from her nightstand and glanced at it.

"Tell you what, kid." She murmured, placing her coffee cup on the table. "We'll leave in two hours. So you come back at one o'clock, and we'll head out."

Howan nodded and grabbed her bear, wandering towards the door. She paused briefly, before turning back to Kino. "I can keep my bag here, right?"

Kino nodded, and shooed the little girl away. Howan laughed and nodded. Neither Kino nor Hayami were worried about letting the girl go on her own. The child knew Blue Six as well as anyone else, having lived on it for passed a year. And the girl was responsible, and knew not to get into trouble. Howan left quietly, trying to remember the last time she had actually seen _real_ grass.

Once the door was closed and Howan had left, Kino turned to Hayami. Leaning over, she whispered seductively into his ear, "Howan thinks you're cute…"

He chuckled, and slid his arm around her waist. "And what do you think?"

She thought about her answer, and at the same time, slid her hand up his shirt to trace random patterns on his back. He almost shivered at her touch, and, suddenly craving to be closer to her, slid his other arm under her legs and pulled her into his lap. She didn't seem surprised.

In fact, she enjoyed it thoroughly. She kissed him, gently, almost teasingly. He, however, was fully content to capture her lips in a deep kiss. After a few seconds, she pulled away and once again leaned up to whisper in his ear, "We've got two hours… enough time?"

His only response was to pull her onto the bed beside him.

* * *

_Author's notes: Gah, sorry about the small delay, guys! This chapter took longer to get out… _

_I've got two days left in school, and I've been alternating between crying with my friends (Most of us wont see each other again, at least until summer is over) and attempting to get the color out of my skin…(My friends went Sharpie happy yesterday… and decided to use me as a year book…)_

_Anywho, I hope you liked it. By the way,_ I Wont Tell, _the party's not gonna happen for a while. I've got something big planned for that. _Big!

**Please Review**_! It makes me smile!_

Graywords-girl♥


	6. Chapter six

**Chapter six**

The park did, indeed, have grass. In fact, it had a full playground, swings and everything. Compared to the rest of the city, which was still partially in ruins with the main market, docks, and home arrangements being the most that had been rebuilt aside from the park, it was a heaven. It was almost like crossing into another world.

There were trees, as well. Many trees, ranging in all sizes. In the middle of the park was a large oak tree that even Kino had to admit would be fun to climb. That was one disadvantage to living in the ocean. No trees to climb.

As a child, Kino had loved to scramble up a large tree and sit in it for hours a time. Sometimes she would read, other times just sit and watch the world, oblivious to their audience, move by.

Howan, Kino, and Hayami made their way through the crowd towards the park entrance, the latter two practically being dragged by the former. After a point, Kino rolled her eyes and told Howan to go ahead of them, as the girl was beginning to bounce with anticipation. The older girl regretted this decision a few seconds later as Howan took off so fast she brushed by an older woman and knocked the woman's bags right out of her hands.

"Howan!" Kino called, but the little girl was out of hearing range. Sighing, Kino knelt down and helped the woman collect her things. "I'm sorry about that…"

The old woman only smiled gently, and waved it off. In an older grandmother type tone, she said, "Don't worry about it, child. It's not the first time it's happened today," she laughed, and Kino stood and handed the woman her bag. The old woman nodded and glanced back at Howan, who was waving frantically for Kino and Hayami to hurry. "You have a very cute daughter, miss. You two must be proud parents"

Kino blushed slightly, and opened her mouth to protest and explain that they were only watching Howan when Hayami cut her off, putting his arm around her shoulder.

"Thank you."

She turned and looked at him sharply. The old woman nodded at them and walked by. Kino stared at Hayami, who only smirked and shrugged at her, before pulling her towards the park entrance, his arm still around her shoulders. Not that she minded. It was quite comfortable, actually, and Kino found herself leaning into him.

He had an interesting scent to him. She hadn't thought about it until now, but he did. It was a mixture of salt water, a bit of copper, and a smell she couldn't place, but was certain it was uniquely Hayami. She had a sneaking suspicion that the copper fragrance was from blood. Not that she was surprised. He had almost been drenched in it a few days ago, and it was natural that a bit of the scent would still be present.

Howan came bounding up to them and latched onto Kino's hand, pulling her towards the swings. "Kino, come on! Push me!"

Kino found herself smiling at the girl's enthusiasm. It wasn't often the little girl got a chance to actually _be_ a little girl. Usually, the girl was stuck trying to be as mature as possible in order to keep the boat floating. But now, Howan could run and scream and enjoy herself as much as her small heart wished.

Howan quickly took a seat on one of the swings, getting comfortable with ease. Kino came up behind her and placed her hands on the girl's back, giving a small push. Howan had been on a swing before, apparently, because after a few minutes- a few agonizing minutes of missing some good swinging time- of dealing with Kino's short pushes, began to pump her legs and forth to gain more speed and height.

This gave Kino a chance to take a seat on the grass beside Hayami, who was watching them. She leaned back on the grass, crossing her arms behind her head and relaxing. The feel of the soft grass was odd to her. So different from the cool feel of metal… So soft… it felt nice…

* * *

Hayami was watching Howan. The little girl was currently swinging up and down, and was talking with another little girl on the swing beside hers. They were chattering away happily, and Hayami had a suspicion that this was the first time in months, possibly years, that Howan had been around a child her age.

He glanced down at Kino, who was resting beside him. He couldn't help but smile. She had already dozed off, obviously figuring she had a while to take a quick catnap. He liked to watch her sleep. He'd only gotten the chance to do it twice, but he still thoroughly enjoyed it. Kino was always so tense, and a bit jumpy. He could see it in the way she walked and held herself. So, it was a bit odd, to see her so relaxed. Not that he expected her to be tense in her sleep… (Alright, _that_ was a lie. He did half expect that she would be just as tense in a subconscious state)

She looked so content, as though nothing in the world were wrong. The tension and stress completely melted from her features. She was relaxed, completely. A small smile, barely noticeable to even someone who knew her well, graced her lips, and every so often, her eyelids would flutter. She had just about reached the limit where it could be called dozing, and was close to moving on to a full nap.

Hayami knew he should wake her, just in case. But he didn't want to. After everything she had been through, including the emotional and sexual stress going on between them, she deserved a chance to relax. That, and she looked really cute curled up on the grass like that…

Howan was still talking with the girl, and for the most part, Hayami was getting bored. He had nothing to do at the moment. He could get away with curling up beside Kino and dozing off as well, but then when Kino woke up she would get upset because he had left Howan unattended. So he was stuck being bored. He did love to see Howan looking so cheerful, but he didn't think he could stand being bored for a couple of hours…

"Hayami?" He looked up in surprise. Standing above him was the tall dark man that had accompanied Kino when she had first come to fetch him- Shidora was his name, if Hayami remembered correctly- and the Fire Are Control Specialist, Shiro. They both had very large boxes with them that smelled like Chinese food. Several dozen pounds of Chinese food…

"What are you two doing here?" Shiro asked, setting down her box and looking over at the sleeping Kino, who had rolled over to her preferred side and was more than likely now in a full sleep, rather than a nap.

Hayami motioned to the happy little girl on the swings, running a hand through his hand.

"Oh…"

Shidora grumbled something, but his box muffled it. Hayami felt his own curiosity spark as he watched Shiro take the box from him to find out what he had said. When it turned out all he was doing was complaining, she tossed the box back at him, causing the big man to struggle to keep his grip on it. Shiro then reached down and grabbed her box.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, watching in amusement as Shiro shifted the box, hers obviously being the lighter of the two.

Shiro jiggled the box. "Peace offering for Tsuji." He gave her an odd look, being the only person on the boat that didn't know of Shiro's misfortune. "I figure if he doesn't have to cook for a few days, then maybe he'll forgive me and stop ignoring me."

"We're gonna be eating Chinese food for three years." Shidora grumbled. Shiro's foot immediately met with his shin, causing him to utter a muffled cry in pain. Flipping her hair over shoulder, she glared at him.

All the noise startled Kino out of her nap, and she sat up suddenly and looked around, momentarily dazed. Recovering quickly, she yawned and stretched, reminded Hayami of a cat that just woke up. Looking up at Shiro and Shidora, she smiled.

"Hey. Is that Chinese food? For Tsuji I take it?"

Shiro nodded and smiled happily. "I'll save you something. Promise."

Kino nodded, and looked over to where Howan was. Her friends waved and left, with Shidora still complaining. After the two had disappeared from view, Kino chuckled. "They'd make a cute couple…" she mused to no one. Hayami sent her a glance, and she shrugged.

"Why didn't you wake me?" she asked suddenly, not taking her eyes off of Howan, who had abandoned the swings to go play with her new friend.

He thought about it for a minute. "Dunno," he said, shrugging. "Guess I just didn't want to. You really deserve to be relaxed right now. After everything I've put you through, not to mention everything else…"

She looked at him then. A small smile graced her lips as she leaned over and rested her head against his shoulder. Shifting a bit so that he was more comfortable, Hayami brought his arm up to rest on her waist. It was nice that they could both be so relaxed in each other's company. Very nice.

* * *

"What a day…" Kino murmured, running a towel over her damp hair. She heard Hayami chuckle from her bed as she walked out of her bathroom. It was around eight, and she was ready for bed. She was wearing a tank top and sweatpants; simple, but very comfortable.

Hayami looked up at her and smirked, having already discarded his own shirt. Tossing the towel aside, Kino pounced onto the bed and landed beside him, bouncing slightly. She laughed and messed with the pillows, attempting to fluff out the lump that had appeared over the day. Hayami simply laid back and kicked off his boots, already quite at home in her room.

Getting comfortable at her claimed spot beside him, she smiled slyly at him. "So, when are you bringing in your stuff?"

"Hm?" he murmured, pulling her closer. Resting a hand on his chest, she laid her chin on top of it and looked up at him, her eyes smiling. He cracked open one eye lazily and glanced at her.

"You've been here three days straight. You might as well move in." he laughed and gave a strand of her hair a quick tug. She glared and swatted his hand away. This only caused his smile to widen, and she rolled her eyes at him. Taking a much more serious look, she leaned up and whispered to him, "I wouldn't mind…"

"Really?" he asked, his own voice dropping several levels. Reaching over, he lifted her face towards his, locking eyes with her. Anything humorous quickly vanished from her face, easily replaced with a slightly dazed look. Her breathing changed, he noticed.

They leaned towards each other, neither wanting to release their partner's gaze. When they're lips finally met, it took only seconds before the quick chasteness of it melted away to something much more powerful. Something neither of them could ignore. The passion that emerged from them took over. The kisses grew fiercer, stronger, with each passing second. Neither really understood what was happening, but they both welcomed it.

Before either knew what was happening, he was on top of her, straddling her hips and attacking her neck with his lips. She moaned in pleasure as he moved to her shoulder, running his tongue along her soft skin. His hands moved to the hem of her shirt, lifting it as they moved up slowly, his fingers brushing her warm stomach.

She leaned up to him and captured his lips, savoring the taste of his mouth against hers. They were in heaven. Neither wanted the moment to end.

Unfortunately, someone had other plans. A knock at the door caused them to break away. Kino groaned and bashed the back of her head against her soft pillow, already missing Hayami's lips against her skin.

"What?" she barked, looking towards the door. Hayami sighed and pulled away, sitting on his heels as they listened.

"Kino!" Freeda called from the other end. "Get your ass up and moving! You, me, and Shiro are going out!"

"Freeda!" Kino groaned out, immediately wanting to protest. Freeda, however, saw this coming and cut her off.

"I don't care what you say; you _are _going!" She paused, and when hearing no further protests, continued. "Make sure you wear something small, and tight! I'll be back in 30 to get you!"

Freeda let out a whoop of happiness as she walked away, her footfalls growing fainter and fainter.

Kino sighed and rolled out of the bed, grumbling to herself as she walked over to her closet and began to rummage through it. She knew that Freeda would drag her out by her hair if necessary. But Kino really wasn't in the mood. For one thing, going out wasn't quite as fun as having sex with Hayami. In fact, it didn't even come close. She would really have preferred the alone time with her lover to going out with her girls. But she had no choice.

"You're going?" Hayami asked, looking at her in surprise. She nodded, continuing to go through her closet.

"No choice. Freeda'll have Tsuji cook me for dinner if I don't go. She's stubborn like that…" she trailed off, looking thoughtfully at a back dress that would come to her knees. Pulling it out, She shook her head. "Damn…"

Kino had never been big on skirts or dresses. In fact, she hated them. Which was why she only had three. The first being her formal wear for Blue Six, the second being her little black dress, and the third being an outfit that Kino felt would have been more appropriate on a hooker…

She could go borrow one of Shiro's… but then she'd be stuck going through the disaster area Shiro called a closet. And wearing one of Freeda's outfits was out of the question. Which meant she was stuck with the hooker outfit.

Sighing, she pulled it off of the hanger and walked into the bathroom. "By the way, don't be surprised if some of the guys come asking for you to join them in an outing."

He snorted. "_Right_."

"I'm serious. Despite what you might think, they do think of you as one of guys. You should accept. It might do you good to hang out with someone other than me."

She paused, before saying something else. "But, please, try and remember you're not single any more."

He laughed. "Yes, dear."

Stepping out of the bathroom, Kino looked down and then back to Hayami. "How do I look?"

* * *

Hayami almost felt his jaw drop. Several things crossed his mind to say: _Drop dead gorgeous_, _Stunning_, _absolutely beautiful_, ect. Instead, he settled for a sarcastic comment. "Don't _you_ forget that you're not single, either."

She rolled her eyes at him, but smiled, knowing it was a complement.

She was wearing a very tight black mini-skirt that stopped well before it even came close to her knees, a tight red halter top that came to just above her stomach, and simple black boots. God, she _really_ hated this outfit.

Hayami, however, seemed to really enjoy the view. Smiling, she walked over and captured his lips with hers, just before Freeda and Shiro knocked on the door, signaling it was time to go.

* * *

_Author's notes: Sorry this took so long. School's out. I'm so sad. I may never see my friends again! It's so unfair! But, I suppose I'll make other friends. This chapter was full of Hayami/Kino goodies. Hope this hold you over until next time!_

_Anyway, I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please, please, _**Please Review!**

_Be back with the next chapter soon!_

Graywords-girl♥


	7. Chapter seven

**Chapter Seven**

After dragging Kino all over hell and creation, Shiro and Freeda eventually decided on a small bar right in the center of New Osaka. It was unsurprisingly busy as the three girls walked in. Loud music blared through speakers set up in several different locations, and a TV sat at one end with a few couches. The bar was littered with people, a few couples, and the dance floor was packed. Aside from the bar, a few booths as well as tables lined the walls for places to sit.

Kino was quickly ushered over to the bar, where Shiro managed to come up with three seats. Each of the girls ordered a drink; Kino's being the lightest. The music wasn't bad, and every so often some random guy would come up and ask one of the girls to dance. Kino refused all offers. For the most part, Freeda and Shiro were enjoying the free drinks they were receiving from every guy in the bar.

After they're third dance, Shiro and Freeda came and sat on both sides of Kino.

"Girl, what _are_ you doing over here?" Shiro demanded, taking Kino's drink, which she had been sipping quietly, away and setting it on the counter.

"Yeah, the music's great and I've caught at least five guys who've been checking you out. Go dance a little!" Freeda said with a laugh.

Kino shook her head and leaned over so she didn't have to shout to be heard. "Nah. Don't feel like dancing with a stranger."

"I bet she'd dance if it was with Hayami!" Shiro stated, laughing with Freeda as Kino's face turned to a deep crimson. Kino stuttered out in protest, but Freeda quickly silenced her by the placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, if you won't dance with a stranger, dance with us."

Before she could protest, Shiro and Freeda had pulled her onto the dance floor. Kino surprisingly had a bit of fun. It was nice being able to dance with her friends without a care. Every so often a song they knew would come on, and they would sing along, laughing together as they got a few strange looks.

* * *

Hayami sighed, quite bored. He had given up trying to sleep a while earlier, as his thoughts were continually straying to Kino. He missed her company. And he wondered what she was doing. Probably enjoying herself with Shiro and Freeda…

He was bored, _again_. He hated not having something to do, even if it was working on the Grampus…

Now there was an idea! Jumping off of Kino's bed and quickly changing into his jumpsuit, he left the room and headed towards where the Granpus was stationed.

It didn't take long to get there. Only a few minutes, actually. Taking a seat, he pulled out a few tools and began to work. It required most of his attention, which meant that there was little to no room for Kino to push her way into his thoughts. It took less than four seconds before he was back to being the man that had been dragged onto Blue Six.

He had changed. He knew he had changed. He blamed most of it on that damn stubborn redhead that had captured his mind. He was much different than before. He actually gave a damn about humanity, for one thing. Or at least for a few choice humans. And for another, he felt a hell of a lot saner than when he had started out. Before, many things had clouded his mind. The majority of those things being a mixture of drugs and alcohol.

It shouldn't have been so easy to quit either. But he had never been dependent on them… It had taken him a week, at most, to work the stuff out of his system. One week of torture and strange urges (the sudden craving for a fish and peanut butter sandwich at two in the morning really worried him,), but one week non the less. The only thing he could think of as to why it hadn't taken long was because most of it had been psychological.

He had felt like he had nothing left to lose, and so had let himself fall deeper and deeper.

Kino had been the one to start his attempt at salvaging any part of his health still remaining. When she had come asking for help, and finally left, he had begun to think. In truth, at that point he hadn't had much left to loose. But he didn't want to die as some drug addict that didn't do anything worth remembering. That had been when he had started recovering. He had left everything behind when had gone to help Kino: the drugs, the alcohol, everything.

Now, he was particularly happy he had left it behind. Now, he felt like he had a place to belong. While he hadn't been welcomed back with open arms, the people on the boat had eventually gotten accustomed to his presence. Now, when he walked down the halls, people waved and said hello, used to him wandering the corridors. It felt nice to have people expect something from him, even if it was only a simple hello.

And of course, Kino was a reason all her own. If there was one person on this boat he wanted to see him like he was now, a man at the peak of his life living a second chance, and not some jerk who had given up, it was her. And Howan, as well. For some reason, he wanted the little girl to be able to feel as safe as possible around him. It was probably because the girl had been the first to trust him unconditionally.

Even Kino, in the beginning, had only trusted him because he was expected to help save the world. Howan hadn't thought about that. What she had seen was someone who she could trust, even if he didn't save the world, and had followed her childish instincts.

He tugged at a few wires. Damn, who had been the last person to do repairs on this thing? Oh, right… that new mechanic that Iga had hired. Hayami would have to have a talk with him about how to take care of his Granpus. Well, his and Kino's. He grumbled, and lay down on his back. He was going to have to get under the control panel to fix the current issue. Taking out his flashlight, he clicked it on and began to reassemble everything.

"Hey Hayami!" Hayami jumped up in surprise and clonked his head against the hard metal. He groaned in pain and slid out, ready to tear the head off of whoever had tried such a stupid stunt.

Alessandro laughed as Haymai rubbed the sore spot on his forehead, glaring.

"What do you want?"

Alessandro motioned towards Shirdora, who was standing behind the annoying man. "We want to talk to you."

Hayami sighed and turned off his flashlight, sitting up, still holding a hand to his throbbing head. "What?"

"Well, the girl's have all gone out, and we're bored."

Hayami nodded, half-listening as he checked his hand for blood. None… good. That meant he didn't have to go deal with the crazy nurses at the infirmary.

"So," Alessandro continued. "We were wondering if you wanted to join us for a few drinks?"

Hayami thought about it. He would normally decline, but he really did feel like he could use a drink. While had had stopped drinking in access, he did occasionally have a drink. The more he thought about it, the more he began to feel he did need something. He shrugged.

"Sure, why not?"

* * *

Kino was annoyed. Really annoyed. This guy didn't know when to quit. It had started simple enough; the guy had come up and hit on her. She had let him down easy, not in the mood the flirt or even have a conversation. He had been persistent, buying her a drink and obviously not getting the idea. After a point, she had literally spelled it out for him. He had gotten angry.

He was standing over her now, having knocked her out of her stool with a quick push. Freeda had tried to go over to help, trying to break through the ring of people that was beginning to form around them, but to no avail. In the corner of her eye, she saw Shiro reaching into her bag, fumbling for the gun she kept there just in case.

Kino was a bit scared. Not only was this man an angry drunk, he was much stronger than he looked. She could take him, no doubt, but not without taking some damage. And in her current outfit, it would prove difficult. People were beginning to talk amongst themselves, murmuring over and over.

"Stupid goddamn whore…" the man growled out, and Kino was able to smell the alcohol on his breath, even from her distance. The man suddenly struck out, tossing Kino a few inches away. Her cheek burned from where he had hit her, and as she lay on her stomach, having rolled when she hit the floor again, she saw Shiro begin to pull out the gun. She quickly motioned for her friend to calm down.

She didn't have much time, however, as the man had come over, intent on continuing his parade. She knew what was coming. She had learned it when she had been training for the Blue Fleet. When he brought his back to kick her, she blocked it and pulled his legs out from under him.

He was seething now; his mind and judgment clouded from one too many drinks.

Kino pushed herself up using her knuckles, determined not to let this man hit her again. The man was already on his feet again and coming towards her. He stood over her again, but this time he staggered, a bit dizzy from the sudden fall.

He recovered quickly. The people around them seemed too absorbed in watching to actually think to help the girl. Freeda had yet to find an opening in the crowd.

He shouted at her. "You goddamn bitch!" He continued rambling obscenities at her. She took them without flinching, knowing that as long as he wasn't acting physically, she could form a plan of some sort.

As it turned out, she didn't have to. The man suddenly stopped rambling and was crying out in pain. Kino's eyes were blurred a bit, and while she could make out shapes, it was hard to see details. She saw a familiar shape behind the man. A voice that sent shivers down her spine slid out, moving over the murmur of the crowd gracefully.

"I suggest you take that back."

Kino realized what the shape was doing as her vision began to clear. The man's arm was being held behind his back; so far it must have been on the verge of dislocation. The man immediately stuttered out an apology and scrambled away as soon as Hayami released him. As the crowd began to move back to their own lives, he knelt down in front of her.

"You okay?"

She nodded, though she could feel the bruise beginning to form on her cheek, her usually soft skin turning a brownish purple.

He pulled her to her feet, carefully. His fingers lingered on her arms briefly, before releasing her as Freeda and Shiro came to her side. Each one came up beside her, supporting her with their weight. She was feeling a bit lightheaded, she noticed. They quickly moved her to the bar, sitting her down and ordering some water to calm her down. After she relaxed a bit in the familiar company, she turned to Hayami.

"What are you doing here?"

He motioned to the two men sitting to his right. Alessandro and Shidora waved, and she smiled openly at them. She understood, knowing that the guys had dragged him out in much the same way her friends had dragged her. Alessandro had moved to talk with Freeda, while Shiro and Shidora had struck up a conversation almost instantly.

Hayami and Kino sat in comfortable silence, listening as Alessandro attempted to "woo" Freeda without success.

Finally, Alessandro grew tired. He had been trying for weeks to get some kind of a reaction out of Freeda, never once getting more than a simple glare. He figured that since he had struck out in every other way, he might as well try the direct approach.

"Freeda…" he started, looking at her intently. Everyone in the group almost immediately leaned a little closer to hear what he was saying. He sighed. "Would you please grace me with your presence on a date?"

Freeda's eyes widened. She had never expected him to actually be so forward. For the most part, she had figured after a point he would give up and leave her be. She had never actually thought she would have to actually say "No,". She didn't want to hurt him, but she wasn't sure about a date…

She looked towards Kino and Shiro. Both girls were staring intently at her. They motioned at her, pretending to "push" her towards, while mouthing out, "Go!".

She bit the inside of her cheek, and sighed. What did she have to lose?

"Alright."

If a person could explode from happiness, Kino was sure Alessandro would have. He immediately let out a whoop of joy, jumping up happily. Calming down after a moment, his smile never once dimming down, he offered his arm to Freeda, who hesitantly took it. He pulled her towards the door, leaving their friends grinning like idiots behind them.

"Use a condom!" Shiro called after them, laughing as Kino gave her a playful shove and Freeda turned back to glare.

After all the excitement, Kino felt herself being pulled into Shiro's enthusiasm as the girl began to ramble on about how amazing it was that Freeda and Alessandro were _finally_ going on a date. While Kino would occasionally nod and say something, she really wasn't too involved in the rather one-sided conversation. Shidora took pity on her after a moment, and grabbed Shiro by the arm, dragging her out towards the dance floor. Shiro was only too happy comply.

Once they were gone, and she was alone with Hayami, she allowed herself a breath of relief, and leaned over, resting her head against his shoulder. He smiled down at her, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back.

"Thank you…" she murmured, smiling contently. While her cheek was a bit sore, she would live, and the bruise would heal. Hayami was thinking, and while he did so, Kino let herself be submerged into him. His scent, his feel, _him_.

He was warm, and held her gently. He was worried, she knew, that if he held too tight, she would shatter. He had lost too much in his life to be careless now. And, for her, he held an air of comfort, of protection. He was safe. She liked safe. She liked it when she felt secure. It had been so long since she had felt like that. And now, she had the ability to feel that way every night.

"It's loud in here." Hayami stated, turning his head to look at one of the speakers. "Want to get something to eat?"

She looked up at him, blinking innocently. "What- like a date?"

He shrugged. "Like food."

She laughed, and nodded, standing up and smiling. The two headed towards the door, stopping briefly to let Shiro and Shidora, who were latched onto each other, know they were heading out.

* * *

Kino let Hayami decide where they would eat. She didn't mind when he chose a simple burger joint. It was filled with a few teenagers, a family here or there, and a few lonesome ones. Nearly every man in the place, with someone or not, stopping what they were doing to stare at Kino. She flushed, embarrassed at the attention. Hayami had a sudden urge of possessiveness, and brought his arm up and around Kino's shoulders, clearly marking his territory.

Kino liked the fact that Hayami wasn't afraid to say that she was his girl. In fact, it made her happy that he thought of her like that. She didn't mind that he was possessive, because he did give her space. He obviously just shared her disliking for having people stare at her like that.

They took a booth seat, sitting in front of each other. A waitress with an impossibly small waist and straight blonde hair sauntered over, swinging her hips and cracking her bubblegum as she walked. She stopped in front of their table and waited, not even bothering to ask them for their orders. The blonde stared Hayami up and down hungrily, giving him a seductive smile. He hardly looked up.

"Coffee, black, and a hamburger." He stated, staring intently at Kino. The waitress made a "hmph" noise and scribbled down his order, obviously not liking the fact that she was being ignored. Kino laughed in her mind, smiling smugly to herself as the woman turned and glared at her.

"I'll have a coke and a cheeseburger. No onions."

The waitress stomped off, snapping the order at the freckle-faced cook. Kino laughed out loud, unable to suppress it any longer. Hayami chuckled at her behavior. She smiled at him happily and leaned forward so they could talk while they waited.

"That was too perfect." She stated, smirking.

"I don't think she's used to getting the cold shoulder."

Kino laughed. Sobering up, she smiled at him gratefully. "This is nice."

He nodded. "Better than Chinese food…"

Kino smirked. They fell into a comfortable silence, relaxing in each other's company. An actual date. This was nice. She hadn't expected him to actually bother with going on a date, as they were already together. It was good that they could skip the whole "first date" scenario. She would have been a nervous wreck.

"So," she said, cocking her head to the side slightly, which Hayami couldn't help but think was rather attractive. "Are going to play out the first date like we're supposed to?"

He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She only chuckled.

"Stuttering, awkwardness, random blushing at remarks that aren't in the least suggestive," she explained, ticking off each one on her fingers. Hayami only laughed and shook his head.

"You really are something, you know that?" he said, smiling at her. It was quite a complement coming from him. Their eyes met at that moment, and they were suddenly absorbed into each other. Lost in each other's eyes, neither wanted to break the moment.

Hayami was watching her contently. She was beautiful, and he felt truly lucky to have her. He loved every bit of her, he knew. He was completely immersed in her, and he would never get out. He wondered if she knew the extent of his feelings for her. If she understood that this was more than just a simple coupling. He needed her to know…

Gingerly, he reached out and brushed her bruised cheek with his fingers, the rough skin of his hand touching her soft, sore skin. He didn't understand what possessed him to say it, but he did. "You're beautiful…"

Kino was a bit taken back when he said this. Hayami wasn't the type of person to show open affection. It was one thing to put his arm around her shoulders, it was another to be so forward about something. The words flew out of her mouth before she even thought of it. "Careful, you sound like you're falling in love."

It was meant as a joke. Both knew this. Neither expected Hayami to ever actually commit to something. Saying the L-word was the ultimate commitment. It bound them, maybe not as indefinitely as marriage, but enough that they were stuck with each other. But what neither counted on was the fact that the L-word had already, albeit silently, bound them together.

He murmured it out to her so softly, she felt like she had almost dreamed it. "I already have…"

He pulled away suddenly. Their food had arrived.

* * *

_Author's Notes: Wow! So much happened in this chapter! And lots more Kino/Hayami stuff! Yay!_

_By the way, for those of you who like the idea of Alessandro and Freeda together, I've got a nice surprise for you in the next chapter!_

_Anywho, _**Please Review!** _It's a good way to convince me to write!_

Graywords-girl♥


	8. Chapter eight

**Chapter Eight**

Kino, Shiro, Hayami, and Shidora all sat at one of the tables set up in the Cafeteria. Kino and Shiro talked amongst themselves, giggling every now and then at a comment, waiting for Freeda to join them and give them details on the night before. Shidora and Hayami played a game of chess, neither really paying attention; simply making random moves on the board.

Finally, Freeda appeared in the doorway, smiling to no one. She was quickly waved over by Shiro and Kino, where she took a seat and exchanged greetings. Hayami and Shidora nodded at her, before moving back to their game, not wanting to get caught up in the "girl talk".

Kino was the first to speak what was on every one's minds. "So, how did it go?"

Both she and Shiro leaned towards her, waiting anxiously. Freeda looked at them and laughed, resting her head in her left hand, leaning on the table. Kino gasped and grabbed Freeda's hand, pulling it closer and looking over it. "Oh. My. God!"

Shiro, who sat beside Freeda, shrieked and hugged her friend, her eyes still wide in surprise. Kino shot up from her seat and came over to them, joining on the hug. Hayami and Shidora looked over in partial surprise, partial curiosity. They both saw what the girls were so worked up about: resting on Freeda's ring finger was a ring. An engagement ring.

Hayami reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty dollar bill, handing it to Shidora, who had a smug look on his face and was mouthing out, "Told ya,"

Finally pulling away, Kino took her seat and looked at Freeda in surprise. "Not that I'm not happy for you, but isn't it a little soon?"

Shiro nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It was only the first date. Or was it really _that_ great?"

Freeda blushed and leaned a little closer to her friends, making harder to hear for the guys. Not that they were listening. After all, it wasn't their fault that they could hear certain parts of the conversation _accidentally_.

"Alright, I'll be honest," Freeda stated in a somewhat whispered tone. It seemed half the cafeteria, which consisted of, at the moment, five other people counting Tsuji, was listening in on their conversation. But who could blame them. After the outburst Shiro had, and even Kino surprised remark, anyone would want the details. But currently, it wasn't something she was going share with half the boat.

"It _was_ that great,"

Both Kino and Shiro looked at each other. A few giggles emerged, but other than that, they were fairly quiet. Freeda continued.

"You should have been there! Five star restaurant! I didn't even know he _had_ that kind of money! Turns out he booked the reservations months ago on the off chance we would survive Zorndyke."

"_That_ was why-" Shiro shouted, but Kino quickly clamped a hand over her mouth, silencing her. In a much quieter tone, she repeated, "So that was why he was so persistent last night…"

Kino nodded. "Yeah, I was wondering about that too…"

Freeda nodded. "Oh god, you guys. I've never been to a place that… well, honestly, High-class. There was live-music, and an actual chef! I felt so out of place… Every person in there looked like they had just come from a fancy party or something. We got some pretty humorous stares…"

She paused a moment to reflect, and Shiro, unable to wait any longer for her to continue, reached over and smacked her upside the head.

"Yoohoo!" Shiro stated, glaring as Freeda chuckled. "Yeah, focus! Tell us!"

Freeda laughed and rubbed her head. "Okay, so we're sitting there, getting these funny looks from every person in there. He's completely ignoring them, and I'm glaring at the entire restaurant,"

"Can you do that? Glare at- what?- twenty people?"

Freeda shrugged. "Dunno, but I sure as hell tried. Anyway, we end up ordering a couple of hamburgers because we can't read anything on the menu! So now half the restaurant it staring at us like we're nuts and not just outsiders."

Shiro clucked her tongue. "Actually, Freeda, that sounds like a really bad date…"

Kino laughed, and Freeda glared at them both. They quieted, but not without looking at each other and smirking.

"As I was saying! So, we're eating these hamburgers and all of a sudden, this guy goes up on stage, and announces that one of his guests want to sing a song for a special lady."

"Shiro, if you scream, I'm gonna ring your neck." Kino threatened, looking at the girl who had her mouth open. Shiro closed her mouth, knowing Kino would make good on the threat if she got the chance.

Turning back to Freeda, even though they had a good idea of what was going to happen next, they urged her to continue.

"I was probably bright red when Alessandro stood up and went up on stage. He sang this song, I can't remember for the life of me what it was, but it was sweet." She leaned closer and whispered. "He sounded really bad."

The two girls laughed. She shrugged and continued. "So, when he finished, he came back down and got down on one knee and proposed!"

Spontaneous "awws" erupted from her friends as they leaned back, already knowing the end. Shiro leaned on her elbow and sighed wistfully. "You're so lucky."

Kino nodded. "All that's missing is the, 'And they lived happily ever after'."

Shiro thought about that, and then reached into her pocket and pulled out a pack of sticky notes. Snatching a pen from Kino, she wrote in big, bold letters across it, "Princess Freeda". She then pulled it off of the stack and slapped it on Freeda's forehead. She wrote another note, this one reading, "Prince Alessandro" and handed it to Freeda.

"Here, you out this one on his forehead and you'll be in a fairy tale." They all laughed as Freeda pulled off the sticky note and look at Shiro with an odd expression.

"Do you always carry a packet of sticky notes in your pocket?"

Shiro shrugged, and the others laughed. After a point, the girls settled down and fell into their respective thoughts, each thinking about something similar, but completely different in the same aspect.

Kino felt herself sigh into her hand as she leaned against the table. What she felt was necessarily jealously as much as it was idealistic. She knew Hayami would never be the type to set up something like that. She knew that with him she would be stuck either in the cafeteria eating rations, or at some cheap restaurant snacking on foods that were really bad for them. The fact was, though, she really didn't mind. Hayami didn't do that type of thing. She accepted that. In a way, she liked it. But in another way, she felt a bit disappointed.

But she really didn't have a choice anymore. She didn't. No matter how much a perfect guy might appeal to her, she was in love with Hayami, and there was no chance she would give that up. Not even for Prince Charming.

* * *

Hayami hadn't expected Kino to be so quiet when they returned to her room. He'd expected her be rambling on about Freeda and Alessandro. Instead, she walked in and sat down on her bed, looking up at the ceiling lost in her thoughts. They had spent most of the day doing nothing. They stopped by Iga to check up on things, and visited the Granpus, and then returned back to her room. She hadn't said much at all.

He had a good idea what her thoughts were on. In fact, he was fairly certain about it. He knew he wasn't like Alessandro. Fancy dinners and dates really didn't suit him. He never liked them, and really couldn't understand why girls had such a fascination with them. Looking over at Kino he saw she had moved from her spot on the bed and was reaching under it. She pulled out a folder and looked it over, before sighing and collapsing back onto the bed.

He sighed, "Am I really _that_ disappointing?"

She looked up at him, blinking. "What?"

He shrugged and came over to sit beside her. "You've been quiet since we came back from lunch with Freeda and Shiro. And you've been sighing a lot."

She laughed and shook her head. "No, no. It's not that. I'm just a little jealous, that's all…"

"Jealous?"

"Of Freeda." She explained. "I mean, she's probably the luckiest girl I know. She got a fairy tale ending."

He looked at her with a lopsided grin, though he really wasn't feeling up to smiling. "So you want a Prince Charming?"

Kino sighed. She should have seen this coming. He was worried he wasn't meeting up to her standards. Taking his hand in her own, she looked at him and put the folder aside. "Listen, okay? Every girl wants a Prince Charming. We all want a guy whose sweet and romantic. Who notices thing like when you're wearing a new perfume or outfit. Who'll come in and sweep you off your feet.

"We don't all get that. In fact, most of us still want one. Some of us get lucky and find the guy of our dreams. Others," she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Have to make due with what we've got."

She kissed him, softly. "Don't worry. So you're not Prince Charming. Good." She leaned up and whispered to him, "I'm no damsel in distress."

He chuckled. She certainly had a way of pulling him out of his self-pity. She smirked and moved, resting her head on his lap and her feet on her bedpost, kicking off her boots and socks. Wiggling her toes, she smirked and relaxed. Reaching over, he picked up the folder and looked it open.

"So, what's this?"

"Hmm?" she murmured, opening hers. He began to open the folder and her eyes widened. "Wait, don't, that's-"

She broke off as he pulled it all the way open, looking at its contents. She bit her lip and sat up, nervously wringing her hands together as he looked over her work, a look of surprise mixed with a gentleness that was rare for him. She looked at her hands as he sent her a questioning look.

"How long have you been doing these?"

She flushed. "A few weeks." She admitted. "I don't why… I just did."

Hayami turned his attention back to the papers that the folder held. Colors and shapes swerved on the pages, swirling together to create one solid picture. The same picture, or at least subject, over and over: Him. Every art medium he would think of short of clay had been used: oil paints, watercolors, pastels. She had sketched, and painted, and even scratched out pictures of him. Different angles and styles. It was amazing. She had a talent for art, it seemed. She was still flushed, looking nervously around the room.

"Hayami?" she looked at him, running her tongue across her dry lips. "Are you okay?"

He shrugged. "Aside from the fact that I just realized I've had a stalker the past few weeks and didn't know about it…" he trailed off, still going through the papers. "When did you find the time to do these?"

She shrugged. "I worked in pieces. A little here, a little there…"

He looked over at her. "These are amazing."

She looked up at him, suddenly brightening up considerably. She smiled at him and looked over his shoulder. He was looking over one specific picture that had been shoved in the back. It was of him asleep. She smiled. That was one of her more recent ones, sketched out in pencil and then colored with chalk pastels. She had done that not two days before, after the first time they had slept together.

"That's my favorite." She said, smiling at it. He looked it over and then back at her. Putting her work back into its folder, he set it down.

"You know, all you had to do was ask and I would have posed."

She laughed and swatted his shoulder playfully, grabbing the folder and shoving it back under the bed. "I was going to go hide it in the closet," she explained as she leaned over the edge of the bed, giving Hayami a very good look at her ass.

He smirked and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her closer. She gasped a little, but smiled and relaxed. He looked her over, before cocking his head to the side.

"You wanna take a shower?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She leaned back on her heels, scrunching up her face as she thought about it.

"Ah… okay," she jumped up and a run for the bathroom, laughing hysterically as he grabbed her by the waist a few paces from the door and swung her up, carrying her to the bathroom.

* * *

_Author's notes: Ah, shorter chapter this time. I dunno, I just felt like it should end there. Anyway, yay! Freeda's engaged. Lucky girl! I wonder what's in store Hayami and Kino in the next chapter? Well, you'll have to read to find out!_

**Please review**!

Graywords-girl♥


	9. Chapter nine

**Chapter nine**

Time passed quickly for both Kino and Hayami, and before either realized it, two weeks had passed. Two weeks of pure bliss for both. Neither had ever been in a relationship quite like the one they were currently in. It took quite a while to completely adjust to the changes, but they eventually managed.

Hayami had basically moved into Kino's room. Neither minded much; in a sense it was actually fairly refreshing for them both. Their relationship was still a secret, even from the prying eyes and words of Freeda and Shiro. Both enjoyed the privacy and intimacy of their relationship, and both loved being able to wake up every morning and see each other.

On one such morning, Kino woke several hours before she usually did, breathing heavily, sweat pouring down her forehead. Slipping out of Hayami's arms, she crawled, trembling, over his sleeping form and moved to her closet, shivering slightly as the warmth disappeared and a small draft hit her naked form. Pulling out her jumpsuit, she slipped into it, still trembling slightly, and rubbed her eyes sleepily.

A small mumbled curse drew her attention back to the bed.

"Ah, Kino?" Hayami murmured, not bothering to hide the tired drone of his voice.

"Go back to sleep," she said softly, smiling at him. He yawned and sat up, ignoring her command, and struggled with the lack of light.

"What are you doing up?"

She smiled again, though he couldn't see it. "Relax. I'll be back in a minute."

Slipping into her shoes, she pulled open her door and walked out. Hayami watched her leave, still a bit confused. Sighing, he pulled himself out of bed, stumbling over his own feet as he made his way to the closet. He couldn't think of any reason why Kino would have woken up so early. But then again, his mind was so clouded, still fogged from sleep, that he couldn't think very clearly anyway. He would find out, though.

* * *

Kino sat on top of Blue Six, seeking comfort with the smell of salt water and the cool ocean breeze. She was still shaken up from her nightmare. It had been a while since she had last woken up like that: terrified, too scared to scream, covered in sweat and occasional blood. At times, the nightmares would get so bad she would tear her own palms open by digging her fingernails into them. Other times it was her arms, and every once in a while her legs.

She sighed and closed her eyes. The sun was just barely beginning to come up. The wind blew gently across her hot forehead as she pulled her legs up to rest her forearms on her knees. She heard footfalls behind her, and knew it was Hayami coming to check up on her. She wondered how long it would take him to find her. It had been almost ten minutes…

Sure enough, Hayami sat down next to her, joining her as she looked out over the ocean. He waited a minute, but she didn't say anything. Sighing, he pulled his hands out of the pockets of his jumpsuit. Reaching out tenderly, he took her hand in his.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, but had to close her eyes as tears began to swell in her eyes. Tilting her head down as a tear slipped down her cheek, she shook her head. She inhaled a deep breath, but instead of calming her, she broke down completely, crying into her knees to muffle the sounds of her sobs.

* * *

_Not good_… Hayami thought to himself as Kino began to sob quietly into her knees, pulling her hand out of his and wrapping her small arms around them and hugging them close to her chest. An angry Kino he could deal with, but _crying_? Hayami wasn't the most open when it came to emotions, and had no real idea how to handle them in general. He did know, however, that he wasn't about to leave her there crying to herself.

Gently, he placed a hand on her back and one across her shoulder, easing her towards him. To his surprise, she came without a fight, instead latching onto him, crying softly in to the material of his jumpsuit. He held her until her sobs subsided into small, quiet sniffles.

Seeing Kino cry like that surprised Hayami a great deal. Kino had always been a tough one, hardly ever showing a weakness. She never struck him as the crying type. But in truth, he'd been learning a lot about her lately. As she finally began to calm down and pull away, he kept a hand on the small of back: an attempt at being even slightly comforting.

"Liar." He stated, surprising himself with his boldness. She looked up at him, her lips slightly parted, her face stained with the remains of tears. "You're not okay."

She laughed a little, which was a good sign, and relaxed a bit. Sighing, she began to explain, though softly. "I'm sorry. I just… I…" she bit her lip. "I had a bit of a nightmare."

She sighed, and tried to wipe away the tear stains on her cheeks. "Actually, more of a memory… It was horrible, Hayami! Right after the first waves began to cover the cities. Oh god…" she sighed, and swallowed. "There was screaming. A lot of it. And some crying. It was like I was reliving it…

"I saw the tsunami before it hit. My family lived near the ocean. I remember my sister and I were making breakfast. Mom and dad were still asleep. We always got up before them. Well, Koe did. That was my sister's name. Koe. She had to get up before them so that they could leave on time for work. She would let me help her with her morning chores. I always loved it, because it was the one time of day when she was nice to me. Every other time her friends were around, and she was mean. But she never meant it…

"We were making eggs. That was mom's favorite. Dad never liked them much, though. I sat on the counter because I was too small to reach it from the ground. I faced the window. I saw it rise up like that. I pointed it out to Koe. I didn't understand. She looked terrified. Her eyes widened, and she dropped the plate she'd been holding.

"She didn't explain anything, she just grabbed me and pulled me out of the house, running really hard… I couldn't keep up. I stumbled and tripped and cut my feet so many times… she never slowed down. But then, she paused and looked back. I think she must've remembered mom and dad… Whatever the reason, the wave crashed down on us.

"I had never been a good swimmer. And I couldn't see which way was up… I couldn't breath. It was terrifying, I think I got hit on the head, because I woke up a few hours later. I was floating in the middle of nothing, clinging to what was probably a piece of my house. There was water everywhere. Do you know how scary that was?" she looked at Hayami, shuddering at the remembrance of such terrifying events. "I was only nine. To see everything I knew and love just vanish like that…"

"It must've been terrible…" Hayami murmured. He knew now why Kino had been so intent on stopping Zorndyke. She had wanted to not only get revenge for her family, but to prevent the same pain from being shared with others. He sighed gently, and stood up. "Come on. Let's go in. We can still catch a few hours worth of sleep."

* * *

As soon as Kino's door was closed, Hayami pulled off his shirt, dropping it to the floor carelessly. Kino picked up said shirt and put it on, pulling off the rest of her clothes and jumping onto the bed, feeling much better after talking with Hayami. Hayami kicked off his shoes with ease, and then turned towards Kino. Who had a sketchpad and pencil in her hands.

He rolled his eyes. "You're drawing me again, aren't you?"

She looked up at him and flushed a bit, before shaking her head profusely, looking a bit like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "Nu-uh."

He smirked. "Yes, you are. Lemme see." He tackled her to the bed, and she pulled the sketchbook out of his reach, as his hands were busy trying to stop her from moving. She laughed as he attempted to grab it out of her hands, his hands brushing her stomach every so often to still her movements. After a few minutes of wrestling with her, Hayami was finally able to pin her beneath him and snatched the sketchbook away, crawling off of her and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He looked over the picture she had sketched out, and while it wasn't done, he could tell what it was even though it had just been started. She had drawn him comforting her.

She crawled up behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, planting a soft kiss to his temple and then resting her chin on his shoulder, looking at the picture. He smirked, before reaching under the bed and pulling out her folder. Placing the pad inside, he closed it and slid back into it place. Turning a bit, he grabbed Kino by the waist and pulled her over, satisfied when he felt her slide onto his lap with a small cry if surprise. Placing a soft but meaningful kiss onto her lips, he gently pulled her down so that they were both lying down. Getting comfortable easily, Hayami slid his arm around her small waist and relaxed, soon alseep.

* * *

Kino woke several hours later, rubbing her eyes. This time, however, it wasn't from a nightmare. She yawned and checked the clock. It read eleven thirty. She had a half hour to meet Shiro and Freeda. The two had, after briefly going through Kino's closet, decided that she needed more clothes, and were going to drag her around town shopping.

Kino groaned at having to get, but did, once again untangling herself from Hayami. He mumbled some random protest, and opened his eyes slowly. He blinked at her in confusion as stalked out of the bed. Turning back, she smiled, showing she was fine.

"What is it this time?" Hayami asked, sitting up and forgetting and possibility of sleep. Kino put on her jumpsuit, sliding off his shirt and tossing it to him. He caught it with ease, before dropping onto the bed beside him.

"I'm stuck on a shopping craze with Shiro and Freeda." Putting on her boots, and flashed him a smirk. "I'll be back by midnight… hopefully…"

He chuckled, knowing that with Freeda and Shiro, it was a possibility. Kino stumbled into the bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush, yawning.

She emerged a few moments later. Walking over to Hayami, she leaned over and captured his lips, before leaving the room. Hayami chuckled. She tasted like mints.

After another ten minutes of laying around doing nothing, Hayami pulled himself out of the bed. He would find something to do. Maybe Iga had some work that needed to be done.

* * *

"Ohhh… maybe this one?"

"No, no. I stopped by there yesterday. Nothing would fit her. It would all be huge on her."

"You sure?"

"It didn't even fit _me_!"

"Okay then… what about here?"

Kino sighed. They had left Blue Six for the Osaka shopping district almost an hour ago, and had yet to do any shopping. This was mostly due to the fact that Freeda and Shiro couldn't decide on a place to go. They had picked up a map of the district, and were currently arguing about it over smoothies.

"You know…" Shiro stated, pausing to take a sip of Strawberry smoothie. "I heard Osaka has some of the best Thrift Stores around."

Kino blinked. "What's a Thrift Store?"

Shiro choked on her smoothie, while Freeda gasped in horror.

"You're kidding, right?" Freeda stated, patting Shiro on the back as she coughed.

Kino simply shook her head. She didn't know much about shopping. She hadn't ever seen a need to do so. So right now, she was at the mercy of Freeda and Shiro. Said two simply looked at each other.

"That's where we start." They chorused, nodding at each other.

Kino could only look on in fear.

* * *

Hayami sighed, lifting his head from his cereal long enough to glare at the chattering girl sitting before him, before dropping it back to face the now soggy breakfast. He couldn't believe he had gotten desperate enough to agree to watch Howan _alone_! He had taken the girl to the cafeteria and had Tsuji simply give him the cereal and milk.

Howan hadn't quite talking since they left her room. She had switched topics faster than Hayami could think possible. The 'conversation' had started on what Kino was doing and where she was. She was currently babbling on about Christmas Trees.

_How on Earth did she manage to change to that topic in less than five minutes?_ Hayami thought to himself, right before groaning. Howan was still talking.

* * *

Kino groaned as she was shoved into the dressing room again. She suddenly knew she hated Thrift Stores. Freeda and Shiro had yet to find something they didn't want her to try on. Every time she stepped out of the dressing room, they were standing there with four other outfits, minimum.

Kino sighed as Shiro began to argue with Freeda about one specific outfit. She suddenly felt very stupid for ever thinking Verg was scary. This was scarier. Blue Six should've just sent Freeda and Shiro out to take Zorndyke shopping, and the nutcase would've cracked in seconds. Instant solution.

Two new outfits were shoved into the room with her then. She groaned.

Would the torture never end?

"Hey Kino?"

"Yes?"

"After you try that on, we're gonna head back to Blue Six."

* * *

When Hayami returned to Kino's room several hours later, he heard the familiar sound of water running. Kino had obviously returned early from her shopping adventure with Freeda and Shiro and had decided to take a quick run under the water. He sighed, glad that she was back. He had missed her, despite the fact that it had only been a few hours.

A thought crossed his mind as he crossed the room to sit on her bed. He thought about it for a moment, before quickly discarding his shirt and making his way towards the bathroom. He needed a shower anyway.

When he opened the door, soundlessly, a blast of steam struck him. He knew that Kino enjoyed her showers hot. So it didn't surprise him when he saw that the mirror was so covered by fog that he couldn't even make out shapes or colors. Kino was singing to herself softly, and Hayami took a moment to listen, closing the door just as quietly as when he had opened it.

Kino had a wonderful voice, but was incredibly shy and self-conscious at times. The only times Hayami got to hear her sing was when she thought she was alone. Listening now, he felt a small smile tug at his lips as her soft soprano voice traveled over the soft drizzle and patter of water against the tile floor.

"_I recall_

_The voice of the sea_

_Whispering softly_

_Crying to me_

_And I can feel_

_The waves rolling back_

_Back to the comfort_

_Of forever_…"

She had sung this song before. It was very familiar to Hayami. But he never got the chance to ask her about it; because he didn't want her to find out he'd been listening to her all this time. And if she found out, she would probably stop singing. He really didn't want that.

He could recall several times he had stayed up late, when she usually took her showers thinking he was asleep, just to listen to her. He wondered briefly what she would do if she knew…

Quickly discarding the rest of his clothes, silently, he took a peek into the shower. Her back was to him, and to top it off, her eyes were closed. He smirked; this would be too easy. Stepping into the shower, he shuddered briefly at the sudden rush of heat. He took a step towards her, and then grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning her around to face him. She gasped, looking up at him in surprise. Relaxing as she recognized his face, she smiled, looking up at him.

"I missed you." She said softly as she felt him wrap his arms around her waist.

He chuckled. "You were only gone a few hours."

She shrugged, resting her head on his chest, smiling. "Yeah. A _long_ few hours."

He smirked, and then reached down, tilting her head up gently. "Then maybe I should make that up to you."

He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. It took only seconds before the kiss deepened. With ease, and little resistance on Kino's part, Hayami pinned her against the wall of the small shower stall, trailing small kisses across her jaw line and down her neck. His hands held her hips in place, firmly but still gentle. Her arms snaked their way around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair.

Slipping one hand down her thigh, he hooked her knee and pulled it against his hip, lifting her free foot off the ground and balancing her between his body and the wall. The kiss grew quicker, barely lingering long enough to taste their partner's flesh. Hayami lifted his head up to meet her lips, tracing his tongue along her lower lip, asking for access. She gave it to him without hesitation, matching his sudden wanting. His sudden passion.

With her safely and effectively pinned, Hayami slid him hand back up to her waist, his lips never leaving hers. He grinned slightly; this was going to be a _very_ long shower.

* * *

_Author's Notes: Yay! That ended right where I wanted it to! Yippie! I'm glad I finally got this chapter out. Trust me, next week chapters'll be quicker. Much quicker. I'm just really busy this week._

_And yay for _Chshr_ for finally reviewing again! I was beginning to think you weren't reading!_

**Please Review!** _Makes me love you all so much! (Not that I didn't love you before!)_

Graywords-girl♥


	10. Chapter ten

**Chapter ten

* * *

**

Kino decided rather quickly that she liked showers. Especially when they included a certain dark-haired man whom she was currently laying next to. He was awake as well, she knew, but they were both comfortable, and neither saw any reason to speak at the moment. With her sheets pulled up to her chin, and with the added bonus of having Hayami's arms around her, she felt quite content and warm.

She shifted slightly; beginning to fidget, and he tighten his grip on her. She loved being able to sleep with him like this: naked, content, and comfortably held against him, but she had never done well with lack of movement. She didn't like just sitting around doing nothing. It drove her crazy.

He seemed to sense her restlessness, as he loosened his grip slightly, giving her more room to move. She began to amuse herself by drawing small, circular patterns on his chest. Gently running her fingers over his warm flesh, she felt the way his chest moved with every breath. After a moment, his hand came up and caught hers, stilling her movements. He chuckled slightly.

"I figured you'd be tired after our shower…" he stated, his voice rumbling in Kino's ears. She shrugged, her shoulder jolting his arm, which was wrapped around her. She sat up, stretching her muscles, the sheet falling down to her waist. He grinned up at her, reaching up and pulling her back to him, catching her lips with his.

She chuckled and pulled away, watching his with an amused expression. "I thought _you'd_ be tired. After all, you did most of the work…" she added slyly, propping her self up on her forearms, looking over him with a soft smile. He smirked, running his hand up along her waist. She shivered at his touch, enjoying the attention.

Pulling away, she reached under the bed and pulled out her folder. Hayami groaned and pulled his pillow out from under his head, burying his face into its fabric, hiding his face from her.

She giggled as she pulled out her pad. "If you're not careful, I'll draw you like that and then post it in the middle of the cafeteria for everyone to see. I'm sure all the girls would enjoy the view of you without a shirt…"

"You'd piss Tsuji off." He stated, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"So?"

"Are you in the mood to miss your dinner for the next month? 'Cause let me tell you, I'm _not_ going to get it for you."

She laughed, before yanking the pillow away from him. He groaned again.

"Can't we just lay here and entertain ourselves?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. Kino rolled her eyes.

"You're idea of entertainment and mine are very different."

"Really?"

She paused for a minute, before tossing her sketchpad to the side and leaning down, kissing him. "Okay, maybe not so different." He chuckled, savoring the feel of her mouth against his for a brief moment before pulling away. Grabbing her by the waist, he gave her a small yank and pulled her back onto the bed beside him, not quite ready to get up completely. She chuckled, before beginning to squirm slightly.

"Come on! Let's go do something."

He groaned again, a habit he was quickly developing, but didn't say anything. He couldn't understand why she was so restless. He was quite content to lie there and do nothing. Kino was usually asleep at this point. Where on Earth was she getting her energy from? She was beginning to fidget again, and was obviously getting bored.

"Are you going to do this _every_ night?" he asked, watching as she shrugged.

"Probably not."

"So what makes today different?"

She shrugged again, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling. Staring soon turned to counting as she began to tally the number of odd speckles on her ceiling. "I'm not used to being so inactive this late. I usually run off of caffeine until sometime around two in the morning. Then, Tsuji would refuse to give me any more, so instead I made due with tea and twenty pounds of sugar…"

He raised an eyebrow. "And all these years I thought _I_ was an insomniac…"

"I slept sometimes…"

"Like…?"

"Ahh…. Once every two, three days maybe? I could get a good three hours if I was really tired…"

She sighed and sat up again, pulling her knees up to her chest. Casting a glance down at him, she doodled a random pattern on her leg and thought for a moment. Hayami sighed. He wasn't going to be able to sleep if she kept fidgeting. So what could he do to wear off her energy? Several thoughts passed through his mind, most of which _were_ rather appealing, but he knew that he should press her.

Sitting up, he continued to watch her. She had gotten quiet. Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't notice him reach back and grab the pillow. He waited a moment, to see if she would react, but she didn't. Pulling back the pillow, he flung it forward, hitting her in the back of the head as a loud _THWACK_ mixed in with her yell of surprise, causing her to tumble forward from the force of the impact.

She landed on her stomach, eyes wide in surprise. Turning back to glare at him, she pulled herself up. "What did you do _that_ for!"

He shrugged, chuckling to himself as she reached over and snatched the pillow from him, glaring hard.

"Jerk." She muttered under her breath, crossing her arms.

"Thanks." He stated, and she rolled her eyes at him. He only smirked at her. Thinking for a moment, Kino hopped off the bed and grabbed a random outfit from her closet, leaving Hayami sitting on the bed, watching her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm going for a walk." She stated, slipping into her clothes. She walked out, tying the laces of her boots as she walked. He watched her leave, chuckling as he heard her curse slightly as she tripped over her own feet. He waited a few moments, before sitting up and changing quickly.

* * *

The park was nice at night, when it wasn't crowded. There weren't dozens of people running around screaming at the top of their lungs in joy. No one was out. A few lights, coming from the newly built lamps, illuminated the dirt path that Kino and Hayami followed, but other than that, it was empty. The bugs were still that night, and the birds had already fallen asleep.

They walked side by side. Hayami kept his hands shoved in his pockets; while Kino allowed hers to swings ever so slightly at her sides with each step she took. She didn't cling to him, as many girls might have done. No, she was braver than that. She didn't seek protection from the night; she faced it. Hayami respected that in her; true individuality.

Hayami was content to just walk. Kino was observing everything. After a moment she spoke.

"It's amazing, isn't it?"

He didn't respond. She knew he wouldn't. She simply continued. "So much has been rebuilt… people are starting to come out from hiding… starting to pull together to recreate what was lost…"

"Isn't that what Operation Blue was about?"

He didn't look at her as he said this. He kept his eyes forward.

She bit her lip, thinking of her response. "Not really. Sure, every country still remaining did help, but that didn't hide the suspicions, distrust… Every country blamed another for what was happening in the world. It was just one large ring of hateful words and pointing fingers." She chuckled a bit. "You should see what happens in the United Nations now…

"They argue, they shout, they scream. Never willing to agree on one topic, always finding some reason or another to blame someone else for. It really is pretty funny."

"How is that funny?" he asked, glancing at her in the corner of his eye.

She shrugged. "My mother used to tell me that the United Nations had once been a place of peace. Not a place to torment, attack, or injure some representative from another country. That's what happens now, though. A lot of people are worried that a full-scale world war is going to break out. Not like the one that took place in the European Countries. The whole world.

"Can you imagine that? Every country at war with another? It's terrifying…"

She chuckled again. "And terribly ironic."

She stopped walking, and after he had traveled a few paces ahead, Hayami stopped as well, glancing at her curiously. She had her head tilted down, and he couldn't see her eyes very well.

"I can't believe that this is what the world's been reduced to… Even after all the things we've been through, we're still at each other's throats…" she murmured, struggling to keep her voice even.

"What did you expect?" Hayami asked, his hands clenching the fabric of his pockets as he watched her struggle. "People can't be reasoned with. They're too set in their ways."

He sighed; it was his turn to talk. "When you first came to get me, you know what I saw?" She shook her head. "I saw a child. A child with simplistic views on the way the world worked. It was black and white for you then. No shades of gray, no degrees of good or evil. Just one or the other."

He walked over to her and gently cupped her face with his hand, lifting it gently, forcing her to look at him. "You're not like that anymore. I watched you change. You had the opportunity to get what you wanted back there: you had the chance to kill the man that caused all this. The child I met at the very beginning of all this would have done it in an instant. _You_ didn't pull the trigger."

She bit her lip. "You stopped me."

He shook his head. "I just nudged you in the right direction." He released her. Rummaging in his pockets, he pulled out a cigarette and held it between his lips, grabbing for his lighter. She made a face at his terrible habit, but didn't say anything.

"People aren't going to change in a few weeks. It'll take time for them to learn to trust again."

She nodded, just as a loud booming noise sounded from around them. Kino jumped at it and looked to the sky just as it started to rain. A quick shower quickly turned into pouring as the water came faster and harder. She didn't flinch, however, nor turn away. She smiled. She hadn't seen rain in months. Every storm that had occurred for her, she had been stuck under the water. She hadn't been able to see it in quite awhile.

She was getting soaked, she knew. Hayami was watching her with smile. He had dropped his cigarette in surprise at the first crash of thunder, and it was basically useless to try and recover it now. After a minute, he reached out and gave her sleeve a quick tug to get her attention. Jerking his head in a random direction, he pulled her away quickly.

They made a quick run for shelter as the rain got even worse and the lightning cracks and thunder clashes began to overlap. They found a quick refuge under the canopy of a small flower shop. On both sides of the flower shop were house, and Kino was wondering if she should ask if they could wait out the storm in one of the homes.

She wouldn't have to, as the door of one of the homes opened and a woman in her late thirties peeked out, catching sight of the two of them huddle under the canopy. She pursed her lips, but motioned for them to come over.

"Hurry up and come inside!" she called as Kino and Hayami made a quick run towards the house, jumping the up the small series of stairs that led to the entrance.

Going inside, the woman quickly ushered them towards the living room, where a fire was lit and offered a bit of warmth. A little girl sat beside it, watching the flames intently. She glanced up as the two strangers emerged from the hallway, blinking at them curiously.

"Wait right here and I'll get you two a change of clothes. You're going to catch your death in those outfits." The woman stated, before turning to the little girl. "Kioko, get them some hot chocolate."

The woman then disappeared up a large staircase. The little girl, Kioko, stood up and motioned for them to take seats by the fire. She then turned and walked through a doorway. After a moment, the woman came back down the stairs, her arms full of clothes.

"Come on. You two can change upstairs while your drinks are being made."

They followed her up the stairs, and emerged in a long hallway with several doors. Hayami was promptly shoved into a room with a set of clothes, and the woman then escorted Kino into another. Sorting though a few shirts, she handed one to Kino, and then a pair of sweat pants and socks.

"I'm not sure if any of these will fit you," she said, looking at Kino. Kino was, indeed, several inches shorter than the woman. Motioning to a screen that had been set up, she allowed Kino to change behind it as she waited. The clothes were large, and the shirt alone came down to above her knees.

The woman then offered a towel to Kino, who took it and began to dry her hair, which seemed to absorb water well enough to soak her all over again.

"Thank you for all this, miss…" Kino stated, smiling at the older woman.

"Asakawa. Yuki Asakawa," the woman provided. "And it's no problem. I couldn't very well let you two stay out there with it raining like this."

Kino nodded. "I'm Mayumi Kino. And the man I came in with is Hayami."

"Pleasure to meet you. We should head back downstairs now."

She led Kino down the stairs and back to the living room, where Kioko and Hayami were waiting. Kioko was watching Hayami intently, and had somehow provoked a staring contest between the two of them. From the looks of it, neither was winning.

Kioko suddenly broke eye contact with Hayami and looked at Kino, blinking. Looking the older girl up and down, her vision came to rest on her feet.

"Those are my socks." The little girl said, cocking her head to the side. Kino looked down in confusion. The socks were fairly large, and the girl had relatively small feet. Yuki took pity on her quickly and explained.

"For the winter, we get her large socks. They tend to be warmer."

"Oh," Kino murmured. Hayami motioned her to come sit beside him, and she came willingly, sitting close enough that their shoulders bumped. Kioko handed her a warm mug filled with a dark, swirling drink; hot chocolate. Kino couldn't remember the last time she had tasted any type of warm drink other than coffee.

Kioko sat down in front of the two, her legs folded under her gracefully in a typical Japanese manner. Hayami was sitting with his legs crossed, and Kino was sitting at a bit of an angle, almost leaning against Hayami, her legs crossing delicately at the ankles against the soft carpet.

"Are you two married?"

Kino choked on her drink, her eyes widening. Hayami coughed, and Kino thought she saw a faint trace of a blush on his face. Yuki fought back laughter.

"You'll have to excuse her. She's very… forward."

"So I noticed…" Hayami muttered under his breath, before Kino elbowed him in the gut, hushing him.

Kioko, however, was too young to understand their answer via physical response, and was waiting not so patiently for an answer. After not receiving one for several seconds, she repeated the question.

"Ah, no." Kino stated, swallowing another gulp from her mug.

"Is he your brother?"

"No."

"Step-brother?"

"No."

The little girl paused. After a moment, she spoke again. "Father?"

Kino gasped, almost dropping her now-empty mug. Hayami almost spit out the sip he had taken a few seconds earlier. Yuki called out to her daughter in surprise.

"Kioko! Don't be rude!"

Kioko looked up at her mother innocently. "But I just want to know how they know each other!"

Yuki placed a hand on her daughter's head and hushed her. "That's none of your business. Beside, it's time to get ready for bed."

The little girl groaned, but stood and made a run for the stairs. Kino and Hayami watched her go, before setting their vision back on Yuki. She smiled at them.

"I have to go tuck her in. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She left, traveling up the stairs and opening a door. Another thunder clash rang out, and Kino yelped in surprise, grabbing onto Hayami's arm. Up stairs, Kioko screamed, and they could hear Yuki struggling to soothe her daughter. Hayami was lost in his own thoughts, and barely registered Kino inching closer to him.

His thoughts were traveling to what was going to happen in almost a week: the party that had been set up for Blue Fleet. Hayami didn't do well when it came to big get-togethers. He tended to avoid them. Social Situations weren't his specialty. And there was another problem: Kino. They had decided to keep their relationship secret, but the party would prove difficult. He would have a hard time keeping an eye on her without looking suspicious. Not that he didn't trust Kino; he trusted her more than he had ever trusted a person. It was more of a possessive thing. She was his, and he didn't like other people he didn't know, specifically guys he didn't know, hanging around her too much.

At least not without him there. He had always been possessive over things, or people, he cared about.

Kino had noticed the fact that he wasn't paying attention to her, and, despite her panicky state, it irritated her a bit. Another, rather loud crash of thunder overlapping with a lightning strike caused her jump in surprise, simultaneously dragging Hayami out of his thoughts. She _really_ hoped the storm would end soon…

He looked at her as she watched a near by window nervously. "I never figured you were one to get scared at a storm."

"Hey! It's not my fault they make me nervous…" she bit her lip. "I hate the thunder."

He chuckled, and she glared.

"Look, I've always been scared of it, okay?"

He nodded and gently wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand on her waist. She sighed and laid her head against his chest. Getting comfortable, she thought to herself. _Maybe the storm _could_ last a little longer_…

* * *

_Author's notes: Oh, guys I'm so sorry this took so long to get out. I really am. I don't know why, but I was having trouble with this chapter. I couldn't get it to flow too well. Still no plot XD_

_And to my beloved Imouto-chan: Thank you for reviewing! I know what you mean… the story is kind of border lining between PG13 and R…. (I'm still using the old rating system, because I can't get used to the new one). _

_What do you guys think? Should I up the rating?_

**Please Review**, _or else you'll never know what happens to Kino and Hayami! (Cue evil, maniacal laughter)_

Graywords-girl♥


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter eleven**

"Bye!"

Kino turned and waved as Kioko jumped up and down, waving at her new friends. It was crowded on the street that morning, and both Kino and Hayami had to weave their way through the large number of people. Through the gaps in the crowd they saw Yuki pull her daughter inside, turning to wave briefly, before closing the door.

The two walked slowly, watching as the crowd grew thicker and thicker. It was still the early morning hours, but already it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. The storm had lasted most of the pervious night, only beginning to dull in the earliest stages of the morning. Yuki had insisted that they stay the night, and had been a very good host as the night went on.

Eventually, the harbor that Blue Six was stationed in came into view and they picked up their pace, hoping to get back quickly before the regular morning crew noticed their absence. They changed out of the clothes Yuki gave them and quickly slipped into they're preferred jumpsuits. Hayami turned around, having sat with his back to Kino to get his boots on, and found Kino hopping on one foot, attempting to tie her laces with one hand as the other held a toothbrush. He'd seen her attempts to multi-task in the past, and slowly counted to five.

He laughed as she lost her balance and landed hard on the ground. She glared.

He waited until his laughter had died down to small chuckles. Kino had taken advantage of the solid ground to tie both her boots, and then moved to brush her teeth. Hayami followed.

It soon became a war to see who reach the sink first and rinse the toothpaste out of their mouths. Hayami pushed Kino out of the way, laying his hand on her shoulder and giving her a little shove. She ended up sitting in her bathtub; her toothbrush hanging out if her closed mouth as she looked up and glared hard. Standing up, she knocked him away using her shoulder. Despite all this, they were laughing and chuckling together as they did so.

Kino grabbed a watch from her bedside table and slipped it onto her slim wrist. Hayami came up behind her slowly, taking a quick moment from the rush to wrap his arms around her. She relaxed quickly, and he softly pressed his lips to her cheek. She smiled, before taking a look at her watch. Thus the rush began again.

They made it to the cafeteria in a few minutes, and paused outside to compose themselves before walking in. Over the past few weeks a group had been started, and they all ate they're meals together. One the left of the table there was Shiro, Shidora, and Freeda. One the right side Alessandro sat in front of his fiancé, with two empty spaces beside him. Occasionally Howan or Iga would join them, but that morning it seemed they were alone.

The entire group looked up at them as they made they're way to they're seats. Freeda grinned.

"Why are you two so late?" she questioned slyly, smirking.

Kino shrugged. "We met up in the hall. I slept passed my alarm. I was up late last night."

They made they're way to their seats and sat down, casting a greeting to everyone.

"What were you doing that kept you up so late?" this time it was Shiro grinning. Kino knew what she was implying, but simply gave her friend a clueless look and shrugged.

"Going over the schematics for the upgrades to the Granpus that Iga sent me. Hopefully with the new engine system we're installing, we'll be able to move up to 40KTs on the surface, as opposed to the normal 30KT."

Everyone's face fell at this. Most of them knew Kino was a terrible liar, but the techno-babble told them that she was telling the truth. Hayami leaned over to her.

"Where'd you come up with that?" he whispered.

"No clue." She whispered back.

"New engine system?" Shidora questioned, raising an eyebrow as he handed Kino an apple for her to snack on. She took a bite and nodded.

"Yep. It's a shame we can't install one for Blue Six's main engines."

"What do you mean?"

Kino looked up from her apple. "Blue Six only moves at about 15 klicks per hour above the surface. If we could upgrade it, we might be able to double that speed. But it would take months, even years, to do an upgrade that huge. And while we still have some resistance out there, there's no way Blue Six can be out of service that long."

Shidora made a noise of understanding. Shiro let out a low whistle, taking a bite from her breakfast; left over Chinese.

"Any chance there'll be some upgrades on the Fire Arm systems?" she asked, her voice muffled from the food being stuffed in it. Freeda reached behind Shidora and gave her a small shove at her rude manners. Kino smirked at them.

"I don't really know for sure. Right now we're more concerned with the Granpus systems because those are the ones that are going to be taking most of the damage for the next couple of weeks."

She nodded, and turned back to her food. Freeda turned to Alessandro and began to chat with him while Shidora simply sat there, not moving. Kino returned her attention to her apple. Hayami leaned on his elbow, boredom beginning to set in.

* * *

"Hand me that wrench," the muffled command caused Hayami to pull himself out of his thoughts. Grumbling something out, he grabbed the metal tool and placed it in his partner's outstretched hand. After a second, Kino handed the wrench back to him. "Not that one!"

"Well, you should be more specific than "that" wrench." He retorted, snatching up the other wrench and handing it to her.

The top half of her body was hidden underneath the large mass of the Granpus as she worked. Kino gave him a swift kick, her foot connecting with his leg. He chuckled, and caught her foot as it was pulling back. She struggled with him for a moment, before sliding out from under the Granpus and glaring at him. He chuckled, watching her. She had a small streak of grease sliding down her cheek, and combined with the glare, she looked almost comical.

Shaking her head at him, she turned back to the Granpus.

"Did you see the look on Shiro's face when I told her about the engines?" Kino asked, her attention still mostly on her work.

Hayami chuckled again, and moved so that he was sitting beside whatever part of her was visible. He heard her grunt at a particularly difficult point, which was soon followed by a rather loud curse. Sliding out from under it, she sat up and grabbed a rag to whip her hands, the whole time glaring at anything that dared to move.

"What is it?"

She shook her head. "The Air Tank. It's busted. Really busted. Non-fixable busted. We're gonna have to order a new one. And that'll take at least a month to come what with all the back-up issues."

"Back-up issues?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. "Yeah. Since the end of the war, parts for the Blue Fleet are in hot demand. Some idiot, it seems, decided it would a brilliant idea to stop checking the parts for safety defects before shipping them out to increase profit. Last week, one of the mini-subs for Blue Three failed on a test-drive. Almost killed both its pilots.

"Since that happened, every part from that company is having to be checked and re-checked. And the owner of the company is having to go through each and every purchase and sort 'em out based on date. The ones that were shipped before being checked have to be replaced."

He nodded, wondering for a brief moment where she got this type of information. Standing up, she stretched; arching her back as far as it would go without cracking. Content that she wouldn't pull anything, she cleaned up her tools quickly and headed for the door.

"I need a shower…" she groaned out, obviously uncomfortable. Hayami chuckled, before taking advantage of the lack of an audience, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She chuckled, resting her head on his shoulder. They stood like that for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other's company, before Kino pulled away and left, pausing at the door briefly to poke her head through and motion for him to follow.

* * *

"Kino! Open this damn door!"

"Freeda, please! It's late. We can do this in the morning."

"Shut up, Shiro. Kino!"

There was a muffled groan from behind the door, before the door opened a crack, revealing a very drowsy Kino wearing only and oversized shirt. Blinking a few times, the red head brought up one sleeve and rubbed her eyes.

"Freeda? Shiro? What is it?"

"Get dressed. We're going shopping."

Kino paused for a minute, before blinking again and closing the door in their faces. Freeda's face turned a bright red color, and Shiro groaned, before covering her ears.

"KINO! GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!"

This yell caused several people to stop what they were doing to look at her. Even Shiro's eyes were wide at the volume of the yell. After a few minutes, Kino opened the door a crack again, cradling her head in her hand.

"Jesus Christ, Freeda! Did you have to yell so _loud_?"

Freeda simply crossed her arms. "Get Dressed."

Kino rolled her eyes. "Can't we do this tomorrow?"

"It is tomorrow." Shiro stated, holding out her watch for Kino to see. It read 2 AM.

Kino's eyes widened at this, before glaring at Freeda. "It's two in the morning and you're telling me we're going SHOPPING!"

Freeda nodded. "We have to go get our dresses for the party!"

Kino groaned. "That's at the end of the month."

"It's in three days!"

"That's plenty of time."

"Please Kino!"

Kino blinked, surprised by Freeda's tone. It wasn't the usual pushy and tough tone she was used to hearing; it was pleading. The look in Freeda's eyes was different, too. Sighing softly, she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Tell you what, okay? We go out and have some coffee, and then talk."

Freeda nodded, sighing.

Kino closed her door and went straight to her closet; ignoring the odd look Hayami was giving her. Slipping into a pair of jeans and over-sized T-shirt, she glanced at him and smiled. She was tired, that was for sure, and would have loved to go lay down and sleep for another couple of hours. But something was wrong with Freeda, and she really needed to find out what.

"I'll be back in a while."

With that said, she left.

* * *

The small café was practically empty, along with the streets. But it was open late, and they had drinks with caffeine in them, so Kino was happy. The girls took a seat at one of the tables outside, enjoying the warm night air while they waited for their drinks. It was quiet out. Only the soft chirp of the crickets around them managed to break the silence.

Kino was getting more and more worried about Freeda with each passing second. She seemed depressed, and quiet. She had never seen her friend like this. Freeda had always been resilient, always bouncing back no matter what. What ever it was that was making her this way, it was big.

Shiro was just as clueless as Kino was, and just as worried. She kicked her feet, chewing the inside of her lip and tugging at the fabric of her cap, which she always wore. She couldn't help but fidget, trying to figure out what was bothering her friend.

Finally, the coffee arrived, and Kino eagerly took a sip, making a face at the taste but enjoying the wake-up.

"Okay, Freeda. Spill. What's wrong?" she demanded.

Freeda looked away, blinking slowly and sadly. Kino grew impatient quickly.

"Freeda, just say it! It can't be _that_ bad!" After a few sips of her own cup, Shiro was fairly confident that she could handle whatever Freeda threw her way. She was awake, and ready for anything.

She was wrong.

Freeda took a deep breath. "It's Alessandro… he broke off the engagement."

* * *

_Author's Notes: Booya! I finally finished this chapter. This one was hard to do. I had trouble thinking up what should happen next. And for those of you asking: No, this does not mean that the story has a plot now. Still pointless fluff XD_

_Also, for those of you who like Alessandro, you're probably going to hate me for the next few chapters. He's not going to be a good guy. But please, please, please stick with the story. It'll get better, I promise!_

_Oh, right. The measurements I used for the Granpus and Blue Six speeds (the original ones) I got from_ Blue Submarine No. 6 RPG Project_. I do all my research for the story there. (Yes, I do research for this story. The last thing I need is to give out incorrect information!) For those of you who don't know military slang or don't know what they stand for:_

_KTs: Knots_

_Klicks: Kilometers_

_And yay! I've got two new reviewers! (Not counting my beloved Imouto-chan.) And double yay! Fanfiction. net finally released a hit counter! So I can know how many people check out the story without reviews!_

**Please Review** _anyway, though. It really encourages me_.

Graywords-girl♥


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

"What the _hell_ were you thinking!"

Kino winced at the loud volume of Iga's voice as several people in the near-by corridor jumped in surprise, one of which consequently dropping the large stack of papers he had been carrying. There was already a large crowd gathering around the open door to the infirmary. Iga waved a report he had received not two minutes earlier in Kino's face while continuing his rampage.

"Sir, please, could you lower your voice?" she requested feebly, before hissing in pain as Shiro dabbed the gash on her forehead with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. The gash had yet to stop bleeding, and while it wasn't that serious, a few of the nurses offered their opinions, one of which stating she may need stitches.

Kino was sitting on one of the infirmary beds, cross-legged, as Shiro leaned over her and carefully tended to her small wounds as a mother would. One nurse had approached Kino as soon as she had been deemed injured enough to need care, but had retreated quickly when Shiro snapped at her. Iga paced the roomed in a frenzy, not bothering to hide his frustration. Hayami leaned against a near wall, his arms crossed over his chest, watching the scenes play out before him with amusement.

"No, I will _not_ lower my voice! Honestly Kino! What has gotten in to you?" it surprised Kino, as well as everyone else, to see they're commanding officer drop all logic and through a fit. One who looked almost crazy at this point had replaced the usually calm man they had all grown accustomed to. Iga stopped wearing a hole in the floor long enough to flip through the long report, his eyes darting through the words. "Assaulting an officer! Damaging equipment! The list goes on!"

Kino winced again, but said nothing, her eyes falling to watch her pale hands as they tightly clutched the fabric of her pants. Shiro paused briefly, her eyes, which had previously been narrowed in hard concentration, softening at the young girl before her. Gently, she laid one of her hands against Kino's trembling fingers, easing the grip they had. Kino sent her a quick look, her eyes, despite the distinct glitter of tears, showing her gratefulness. Shiro knew, as well as everyone else on the boat, that it was hard for Kino to take this type of verbal abuse.

Iga slowly took a calming, shaky breath; his shoulders, which had been hunched over as he had stomped around the room, falling. He sighed. "Kino, I love you like a daughter, but this was too much. I'm putting you on three days' suspension."

Kino's hands once again resumed they're death grip on her pants, her head titled forward so her eyes were hidden. The last thing she needed was people seeing like this.

Iga turned to leave, his footfalls heavy against the metal floor. He paused at the door, his hand resting on the cool metal doorframe. "And by the way, you've got one helluva right hook." He called to her, before pushing his way through the crowd. A few minutes passed, before Shidora, who was apparently part of the crowd, began to push the crowd away, and it slowly dissipated.

Shiro finished patching Kino up, placing a few butterfly stitches across the wound, and then grabbed a marker. Titling Kino's head up, she drew a smiley face on one of the stitches, and then capped her marker. Kino chuckled, and Shiro gave her a quick pat on the back before turning to leave. She waved, and then pulled the door to the infirmary closed.

It was then that Kino noticed the amused look on Hayami's face. Glaring, she grabbed a near-by pillow and tossed it at him. "What are you smiling at?" He caught the pillow with ease and tossed it back at her. Feeling drained, Kino made no attempt to catch it, and it bounced off her head and landed on the floor beside the bed.

It was then that Hayami pushed himself off the wall and made his way over to the bed, taking a seat at the foot of it as Kino stretched out, yawning. She gave him a swift kick when he didn't move over so she could uncurl her legs, and he simply chuckled. Glaring at him, she shrugged and propped her legs in his lap, not in the mood to argue.

"So," he murmured, beginning to rub her feet absentmindedly, "what possessed you to attack Alessandro like that?"

She cracked an eye open, hoping he would drop the subject if she gave him her most pathetic look. He simply stared back, obviously not willing to give up. She sighed, and closed her eyes again.

"I'm not entirely sure…" she said truthfully, feeling a small headache coming on. "When Freeda told me what happened… I dunno, I just lost it."

He watched her as she winced slightly, not at all enjoying the bright lights shining down overhead. They weren't helping her head, and she felt blinded by them. She giggled slightly and fidgeted as his fingers brushed one of her more ticklish spots, and he grinned.

"What exactly did he do?" he asked, referring to Alessandro.

"He canceled the engagement."

He raised an eyebrow in question, watching her with a curious expression. "Kino, people do that all the time, it's not that unheard of."

She sent him a glare before continuing. "He canceled the engagement _because _he found someone _else_."

She sat up slightly and looked at the floor, watching the metal glint slightly in the light. Usually the cool gray metals of the walls were dark, dank, and lackluster, their actual appearance hidden by the horrid lighting. In the bright fluorescent lights of the infirmary, however, they shimmered slightly and held an almost entrancing appearance.

"I don't what came over me." She said with a sigh, not taking her gaze from the floor. "It's just… you should have seen her, Hayami! She was miserable. After she told us what happened, she broke down. I couldn't stand to see her like that…"

Hayami silenced her then, shifting his weight so that he had pinned her beneath him. She didn't struggle, but she didn't seem to accept it either. Her eyes glimmered slightly as she looked up at him. She was in pain, although it confused Hayami as to why. Could she really be that close to Freeda? It had be something else… something deeper.

He gently laid a hand on her forehead, gently caressing her skin softly with his own rough hand. She bit her lower lip while she looked at him, and then, without warning, wrapped her arms around his waist and let out a strangled sob. It startled him, but it took only a moment before he carefully wrapped his arms around her and rolled onto his back, soothingly rubbing her back as she let out whatever she had to.

* * *

It took another forty-five minutes for Kino to finally relax. At this point, she was content, curled up beside Hayami with her head resting on his chest. She really didn't want to talk, but she could feel his eyes watching her carefully, and knew he deserved some sort of explanation. It wasn't everyday she broke down into tears, after all… A small smile crossed her lips as she thought about it. This was the third time she had cried in his presence. And each of the times, he had held her. It was surprising for her. When she had first met him, she had almost instantly pegged him as one of those "No-emotion" types; the type of person that would sneer at any type of emotional reaction.

But now, as she thought about it, she realized her had never been so wrong. He had never faulted her for entwining her heart with every thing she did. Other people had. Her entire time on Blue Six she had dealt with people constantly saying, "You shouldn't get too involved, Kino." or "Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment, Kino.". He had never mentioned it. He had simply accepted it.

The thought only seemed to draw her closer to him.

She sighed. He was still watching her. Still waiting for an answer to a question he hadn't asked. It wasn't something she wanted to discuss, but she knew she would have to talk about it sooner or later.

"I was engaged once," she murmured, not moving. He turned his head and pressed his lips to her forehead, making a soft sound of acknowledgement and question. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "A year ago. He was another Granpus at the time. One of the first people I had met. We'd been seeing each other for a few months before he'd asked me. Blue Six was preparing to head out to one of the hot spots of the war, and there was a good chance we weren't going to make it back… so I suppose he'd figured he wouldn't have another chance…"

Hayami remember reading that event in the paper. During the last fight in the battle, one of the mini-subs had been hit and exploded within seconds. The two pilots inside had been killed almost instantly.

Kino continued her story, talking slowly and carefully choosing her words. "He broke off the engagement a week after we entered the battle. He died out there two weeks later… It was only at the funeral that was held for those lost in battle that I found out _why_ he broke it off." She paused, trying to clear her mind as she thought of the events, feeling a fresh sting of tears in her eyes. "He had been… involved with someone else. At some point, I imagine right before he broke it off; they learned that she was pregnant."

She looked up him, and he could see the pain in her eyes. It still hurt for her. He could understand that. "The entire time we'd been together, he'd been fooling around with someone else. I was so angry… I still am. I suppose hearing about what happened to Freeda just… reminded me of it all."

He nodded, sitting up slightly and giving her more room to sit. She smiled at him; it felt good to talk about it. She hadn't spoken of it to anyone; not even Shiro. Okay, especially not Shiro. It was a well-known fact that Shiro was the cause for a good majority of the rumors and gossip flying around Blue Six.

Both move apart almost instantly at the sound of the door to the infirmary opening. The sight of a pair of bouncing blonde pigtails, however, caused them both to relax. Howan climbed up onto the bed quickly, her bear clutched tightly in her arms. Settling down sitting between Hayami and Kino, she gently brought up her free hand to grab a handful of Kino's shirt.

"You're okay?"

Kino nodded gently as the soft question, carefully shifting to ease some slight discomfort their position was causing. "Yeah. I'm okay."

Howan nodded and released Kino's shirt, confident she had their full attention. "I heard you beat up Alessandro. Yuri said that it was…" the little girl paused, trying to recall the older man's exact words. "'A stupid move that showed she has no self control.'"

Kino fought the urge to snort. Of course Yuri would say something like _that_. That man was arrogance incarnate. It wasn't surprising he would find some way to torment her, even if it meant furthering a sense of guilt already possessed.

"I think he was just grumpy, though." Kino laughed at that. Howan could be so sweet some times, even if she didn't even try to do so. Hayami chuckled as well. Kino could think of a few things she could say to that, but most of which weren't very appropriate for a child to hear. Howan continued. "Freeda says that someday some one's going to give him a swift kick in a very uncomfortable place…"

Hayami started laughing as Kino chocked on her air, her eyes wide. Howan looked at them innocently, not understanding what was wrong. "What?"

Kino shook her head. _I'm gonna have to talk to Freeda about that…

* * *

_

_Author's Notes: Ooh, sorry it took so long to get this out. And sorry it's so short. I figured something was better than nothing, right? Ah, don't worry! I haven't forgotten you all! I'm just getting slow, that's all. This chapter was hard to get out, I'm afraid. And a bit annoying. I couldn't figure where to end it. _

_Either way, I did it! And to Imouto: Don't kill me! It's out, it's out!_

**Please Review!**

Graywords-girl♥


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter thirteen

* * *

**

Even Hayami had to wince as he looked at the broken figure in front of him. If Kino had proven anything with her little stunt, it was not to mess with her. Even _he_ was a bit scared of her now, seeing the damage she had caused. Whoever had taught her taught her well.

Even Kino looked uncomfortable beside him, and she was constantly flexing her fingers and fidgeting nervously. She obviously hadn't intended to do so much. Her head was bowed slightly, and her shoulders were hunched. He fought off the urge to pull her to him; they were in public.

Alessandro had yet to regain consciousness, and most were glad for that. He would be in quite a bit of pain when he did. Kino had, in no particular order, broken his collarbone, nose, and arm in three different places, as well as bruised half of his face. Not to mention his ego. _It was a bit amusing_, Hayami thought, _watching her beat the crap out of him like that. It was priceless when he ended up in a corner crying_.

It hadn't been Kino's choice to go and see the idiot before them. Iga had promptly forced her to go and "see what she had caused", which was basically just a way to guilt her a bit more. Although Hayami felt that Kino was less guilty than she was upset.

After a moment, she turned on her heel and walked off, her eyes still watching the floor. He waited a few seconds, before following. To his surprise, he found Kino up against a wall with Freeda and Shiro blocking off any hope of escape. What was going on?

* * *

Kino backed away a bit more, trying to blend in with the wall. It was impossible, however, as the steel gray of the metal and her blue jumpsuit was just too much of a contrast. She didn't notice Hayami standing near-by, watching with interest. Her two friends eyed her carefully, before Freeda leaned in closely, their noses nearly touching. 

"I love you." The older woman stated, and Kino could've sworn she paled a shade.

"Y-you're not going to kiss me, are you?" she questioned shakily, watching for any sign of a chance to dart off. No luck, however.

There was a pause, before Freeda and Shiro both burst into loud shrills of laughter, their voices echoing around the small group. Kino managed a strangled, forced laugh as well as she watched them carefully. One sign of any inappropriate movements and she was gone. That privilege was reserved specifically for Hayami.

The two women calmed down and Freeda smiled. "Thank you. For what you did. I… I don't think I had the courage to do something like that…"

Shiro chuckled. "Albeit it was a bit overkill…"

Freeda laughed again. "True, true."

Kino managed a smile for her friends. "It's okay, Freeda. Really. He had it coming."

Freeda smiled warmly. "Still, I really wish I could find some way to thank you…"

Shiro clucked her tongue, thinking, and tapped her foot. Her hat, which was usually plastered to her head, was currently balanced on her index finger and spinning around as she played with it like a Frisbee. She smiled then, and snapped her fingers, dropping her hat in the process.

"Hey, have you guys got your dresses picked out already?"

Freeda nodded happily, while Kino gave a blank stare.

"Dresses?"

"You know, for the ball." The blank stare continued. "Which is tomorrow."

Kino suddenly gasped and looked as though she was just about to faint. "I-I forgot! And it's already so late…"

She stole a glance at her watch. It read well past eleven. She gasped once more before crushing her face into her hands pitifully. Freeda and Shiro thought she might start sobbing, but instead the young woman simply shook her head and grumbled, "What am I going to do?"

Her voice was muffled, but the two women got the idea. Freeda looked at her. "Well, what about your black dress?"

Kino shook her head. "That one barely fits me as it is. And I doubt it would fit this occasion."

Freeda thought about it, before grabbing her by the arm and yanking her in the direction of her room. "Come on. Let's see what we can do?"

Hayami simply blinked as he watched them run off.

* * *

"Freeda, I really don't think this is going to work!" 

"Shiro, nobody asked you!"

"Watch it!"

The two bickered back and forth, glaring at each other as they literally tore apart Freeda's closet looking for a dress that would fit Kino. She had something for everything; dances, dates, work, more dates, workouts, and everything in between. Freeda tossed another dress aside, before realizing she hadn't heard from Kino in quite a while. Turning around, all she found was a pile of clothes.

"Kino?" Shiro called.

And arm popped out of the pile, and a muffled cry of "Help!" emerged. Both girl gave tiny shrieks and moved to pull their friend out. Kino gasped as the laundry was removed and practically fell over. "Jesus Christ, Freeda! How many dresses do you _have_?"

Freeda muttered an apology sheepishly, patting the smaller girl on the back softly. Then Shiro shrieked and latched onto one of Freeda's arms. Both of her friends gave her concerned glances.

"What?"

Shiro was gaping wide-eyed at the pile of clothes. "I think something _moved_."

* * *

Hayami yawned and glanced at his watch. It was pretty late, and Kino wasn't back yet. It worried him a bit, but he shrugged it off. She was with Freeda and Shiro, who, while he seriously questioned their sanity, were still fairly trustworthy. But either way, it was boring just sitting in their room. (Kino had been right when she had suggested they move in together. It was harder to keep it a secret now, but definitely worth it if he got be with her every night.) Usually, when he was alone with no one to talk to, he thought. He thought a lot. Which was to say, he thought more than he should have. 

Most of his thoughts ended up moving back to Kino, of course, but occasionally he managed one that had nothing to do with Kino. Such as turning the Granpus into a grapefruit. But crazy thoughts like these were nothing new to him, and he knew that he could not turn the Granpus into a grapefruit, and so moved back to his thoughts about Kino.

Tomorrow was going to be a big day for both of them. Of course, for Kino, it would probably be easier. After all, she seemed to fit into social situations. He didn't, however, which made this incredibly nerve-wracking. Not that he would admit he was nervous. Either way, it would be big. Very big.

He glanced at the door as it swung open, revealing a very tired Kino. She staggered over and then flopped onto the bed, facedown.

"Are you alright?" he questioned, chuckling as she grunted.

"They're trying to kill me," She stated, her voice muffled by the bed. He rolled his eyes and sat down next to her. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

_Author's notes: I'm a dead author, aren't I? Yes, yes, I haven't updated in forever. I'm sorry. And yes, this chapter is shorter than the others. I'm sorry about that too. Forgive me? Please?_

_Oh, yes, and to my _Imouto_: See? I promised, and I delivered! Now send me the next chapter of _WJ_! Hee._

**Please Review.** _It makes me feel special._

Graywords-girl♥


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